Board of Commissioners · Regular Meeting · September 2, 2025

With the consent agenda and then once we figure that out, we'll come back to Mr. Langley. Okay, I'll pass it to Deputy County Manager Jones to lead us through. >> Thank you, Chair., we'll start with consent agenda item 25-0392. Approve a resolution delegating authority to the county manager to sign real estate leases of county-owned property for up to a one-year term as allowed by state statute. Item number 25-0448, approval of a contract with Boundry Medical for the purchase of UE Scope video langoscopes not to exceed the amount of $146,7312.

Item number 25-0449, approval of budget ordinance amendment number 26 BCC010 for the Department of Social Services to recognize Durham County's FY2526 home and community care block grant funding plan in the amount of $932,221, which includes the required Durham County DSS local match of $86,123 to be appropriated. via general fund fund balance. Item number 25-0466, approval to enter into a contract with Runbeck Election Services LLC and Arizona Limited Liability Company for ballot printing services in the amount of $15,000. Item number 25-0468, budget ordinance amendment number 26 BCC011 public health to recognize $212,893 from the North Carolina DH DHSS Division of Public Health for the Prevention of Communicable Diseases.

Item number 25-0469, budget ordinance amendment number 26 BCC012, public health to recognize $3,200 from the North Carolina DHHS Division of Public Health Chronic Disease and Injury Section Cancer Prevention and Control Branch. Consent agenda item 25-0477 or 0470 budget ordinance amendment number 26 BCC 013 public health to recognize $13,826 from the North Carolina DHHS Division of Public Health Epidemiology Section Communicable Disease Section Branch for Health Screenings. Item number 25-0471, budget ordinance amendment number 26 BCC014, public health to recognize $9,81 from the North Carolina DHHS Division of Public Health Epidemiology Section Communicable Communicable Disease Branch for STD/HIV care.

Agenda item 25-0472, budget ordinance amendment number 26 BCC015, public health to recognize $17,500 from the communicable disease branch of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services for HIV prevention. Item number 25-0476, approval of contract amendment with Carolina Civil Works, Inc. for emergency and scheduled collection system repair services in the amount of $210,2892 bringing the contract amount from $400,000 to $610,2892 and not and to execute any other related contract amendments not to exceed $700,000. Item number 25-0477, approval of McGill Environmental Systems of North Carolina contract amendment for Triangle Wastewater Treatment Plant Residuals Transport and Disposal in the amount of 142,000 bringing the contract amount from $48,600 to $550,600.

Item number 25-0483 approve acquisition of three conservation easements. Sandra and Jerry Reichenber for 119 acres, Francis Cook for 147 acres and Tom Washington for 76 acres for a total estimated county cost of $1.8 million. >> Commissioner Jacobs. Well, I just wanted to acknowledge the staff for this amazing three other conservation easements. And again I I was when I was reading about this I was wondering that have we ever done anything where we formally as a board or as Durham County government where we formally recognize and celebrate all of the families and farms that agreed to do conservation easements because I I just I don't I I'm so grateful to everyone who comes forward and voluntarily partners with us on a conservation easement. It's it's a really big deal and they're making a big commitment to the whole community and I just wanted to I don't know if you all have ever talked about that if It would be really nice, I think, if we did something even on an annual basis.

And formally recognized all of the these conservation easements. >> Yeah. good morning. I'm Celeste Burns, open space and real estate division manager. I think we do it in a couple of ways with the farm tour that we do maybe every several years with the farmland protection advisory board. In some cases, we stop by and kind of honor some of our land owners. Some folks are pretty private and kind of want to, you know, want to kind of keep keep their privacy. Those that do want to celebrate, we'll work with public information office on some announcements. a lot of these folks have been pretty, you know, private about what they want to do. But I hear you and personally from our program, I am always thank you. Thank you. This is amazing. and we make it celebratory when we close these easements because it is a commitment of time for these folks.

They take about three three years to close. so we come to you a couple of times for these approvals. But you're absolutely right. We will think about a way to kind of celebrate these maybe at the farmers dinners that we have and some of the breakfast. There plenty of opportunities for us to acknowledge our Eastland owners for sure. We'll make a point to do that. >> Okay. I'm glad to bring these projects to you. Thank you. >> Thank you. And I and I want to applaud you all too because and I've said this before that this is a relationship based on trust and respect and we wouldn't and I noticed in your description now that Durham County is now like a certified what what is it called again? We're we're a certified entity for the USDA natural resource conservation services agricultural land easement program. So >> yes, >> can we say that again? so you know and and actually we are the first in North Carolina to be certified. That's.

Kind of our track record for this work that we've done over the years partnering with the with this federal agency., in theory that gives us some a different process for approvals, which should be stream more streamlined, but of course that time will tell on that. >> Okay. Well, also congratulations on Durham County achieving that. >> Yes, that was an accomplishment that goes beyond me. So, all right. Thank you. >> Thank you so much, >> cheer. That is the final item of the consent agenda. Thank you so much, Deputy Manager Jones., Clerk Wallace, were we able to get Mr. Langley? Okay.

>> I have asked him to email his comments to us. They'll be shared with the board, senior leadership, and I also place them in the minutes. >> Okay. Wonderful. Thank you, Clerk Wallace. That now brings us to our.

Discussion items, beginning with our farmland protection advisory board updates. Y'all can come sit also if you want. >> Would you like to sit up there? This is more comfortable for you.

Good morning., I'm Sheri Scully with the Durham Soil and Water Office and thank you for allowing us to come and present to you on the accomplishments and work of the Farmland Protection Advisory Board., Nicole Connelly, our chair of this board, is, presenting to you today. Thank you. >> Great. >> Thank you, Sherry. And I'll just reiterate, thank you very much for the opportunity to share the report with you, the annual report with you., and to try and give you some high points from the written report we shared., before I jump into that, I just would also like to say thank you to, a number of our representatives who have joined us today. obviously Sherry from the soil and water advisory group soil and water group. Lisa Marechek David Harris and Eddie Culberterson are also here from soil and water and they are right up front and very integral part of what the farmland board does. So I want to thank them for that long term but also thank.

Them for being here today. Also, as you saw, Celeste Burns is here and Jill Fusco from the Open Space Group, and we partner with them extensively and are thrilled that they're here with us today as well. Mark Waller, our co-chair on the farmland board, is here., and I think that's everyone., and I'd also just like to thank, Commissioner Burton, who is the Board of County Commissioners partner to the farmland board for her, partnership with us as well. Okay, so just to jump into the farmland report, I'm going to try and just call out some of the high points. And it it it's it sort of maybe is easiest to talk about the work that we did in the last year by talking about the foundational work that the farmland board does and then a couple of unique pieces that have been sort of on our plate this year. And foundationally, you've already heard about one of the the cornerstones of what we do, and it is partnering with open space to.

To review and endorse the recommendations of that group in finding conservation easements to partner with farmers in our community to protect land and permanent easements. And that is something that we are so grateful to get to participate in, so grateful to have an open space group that is really really leading sort of th this sort of effort in this state. you heard about the the the the special status that they achieved with the grant that was talked about or the the the I'm forgetting the words to describe it, but basically their special endorsement to serve administratively to the grants with the federal government.

But but when we work in the community and when the soil and water group works across counties and and goes to meetings, they hear over and over again that Durham County is unique in their commitment investment in this sort of conservation program. and other counties in this state do look to us and see what we're doing and and pay attention., and I'll talk a little bit later about the strategy plan that we're working on and the group that we're working with to support us there.

Also have visibility across the state and they came in basically stating right out of the gate that we're very unique in their eyes and what we're doing here in Durham County. So, it's something we're really proud to be partnered with. sort of related to that but a little bit separate is the voluntary well it's certainly separate but another way in which we engage farmers in our community is through the voluntary agricultural district program. This is a way in which farmers can articulate that they are using their land for agricultural purposes. and that enables for a public notice that that denotes the land is such such that if they are ever sort of generating noise with tractors or other operations of the farm that is something that is sort of part of the public record that that is part of how they're endorsed as an agricultural district to be doing that. Also importantly, they get a sign out front which which is really sort of a noticeable and kind of.

Lovely sign that indicates that it's an agricultural district. And that's a way to provide visibility to folks driving by that this is a part of our community. This is a part of the work that goes on. And you know, every time I see one, they they sometimes pop up in places you wouldn't expect for there to be a farm. And it sort of reiterates that there are farms kind of sprinkled all around this county doing this kind of work., and I will also point out, I'll take this opportunity, we are partnered with, Southern High School in building those signs, and they have, they their carpentry class is building all of those signs for us right now. It's a great partnership, and, they, they're doing a really great job. So, we're thankful for that. So, those are two of the cornerstone foundations. The other sort of cornerstone of what we get to work on is partnering with yourselves and with the soil and water group to provide the agricultural grants, the economic agricultural grant program.

And that is an annual granting program where we have $250,000 that we are able to provide to farmers in our community, schools in our community, and nonprofits in our community who apply for this grant, go through a rigorous process of of grant review and are able to get midsized grants, I think up to 10,000 >> up to $10,000 now to help them build infrastructure to scale their their agricultural activities. And there are statistics in the farmland board about the types of the types of grants that are funded. but you'll see that it's spread across livestock farms, across produce farms, across our schools, and a couple of nonprofits, including I think some of the farmers markets. Yes. Mhm. which are critical to sort of enabling the entire sort of agricultural ecosystem in our county.

And this has been a critical way for us to support the farming community. You know, the farmland board feels very proud and and excited to be able to support the conservation of the farmland, but being able to support the farmers who are working on that farmland is is is equally critical. And this this grant program is the most tangible and effective way that we've been, you know, this is relatively new. I've been on the farmland board for a number of years and this came in sort of twothirds of the way through and and it has been such an effective way to engage with the farmers in our community and support folks to come in. And the part that you'll see when you look at the different types of grants that are enabled through that, it supports everything from sort of our our old school, if you will, old school like large land owner sort of historically based or sort of foundational farming and and hay farming all the way through.

To the very smallest niche agricultural model of folks growing greens in their garage using a grow light system., and so this is this is a way to enable basically any of our citizens in Durham County to step into agriculture and participate as well as to continue to support folks who have been doing agriculture in this county all along and you know maintaining our lands and and focusing on this since you know since before these programs existed. So, we're really grateful for this board's partnership on that program and commitment to that program.

Okay, so I think the other, you know, sort of foundational things that we get to work on are engaging with the farming community through farmland breakfasts. We do those and they're really fun and you guys are always invited. they're they're held in the wintertime, so the farmers are are antsy and looking for a way to still be engaged with their work. and so we try to communicate with those folks and work within the board and partner with soil and water who is who are constantly engaged with those folks to pick topics that are most relevant to the community. This past year we focused on insurance farm insurance and I'm blanking on the other one. state >> and estate planning. So a couple of critical topics to being able to maintain your ability to farm soundly and we got good turnout for both of those and it's a great way for the community to come together and and socialize and share information but obviously also to get good information and that comes from the.

Farmland board's discretionary budget. The other way in which we oftentimes use our budget is to support the schools throughout the school year. And again, soil and water and the extension agency are great partners here in helping us to engage with the schools and understand their needs and bring them to the board. And then the board is able to make small allocations of funds to help with projects like setting up raised bed gardens or building a greenhouse or buying seeds so that students can plant seeds and take them home. So this is a way to really kind of work with egg teachers within the schools and and to engage the students in what this county does in agriculture. And that one is another one that the board really feels grateful to get to do. So that is generally how we use our discretionary budget. the things that I promised to talk about that are unique to 2025. we have been partnering with Foothills Regional Commission to redo our farmland protection strategy plan and this is.

A broad plan which guides our activities on the board and has been in place since 2009. And the plan that we've had in place since 2009 has been extremely robust. It was well done and it was done by a number of folks who are in the room today and a number who have worked on the board and and around the board previously. but it is it has served us well. We we recognized that being that it is now 2025, it was time to come back and take a look at it again, re-engage with the community, and pay attention to the work that the county has been doing with their revision of the strategy plan and the work on the UDO and make sure that we're walking lock step with that and taking advantage of updates there., and so that process has been progressing throughout, late 2024 into this year.

It involved a a large amount of outreach to the community through surveys, through interviews, through community sessions and is now being worked through and will be going through a drafting process which is just about completed and then the board will be working with that regional group to refine and hopefully bring that through by the end of this year. The other piece that I've mentioned now a couple times is we've been partnered with the planning the Durham County planning group on the UDO.

We were so pleased to get to work tightly with them on the building of the strategy plan and there's a lot of really important sort of recognition of the importance of the agricultural lands in this county in that strategy plan that came from the community. And so we've been thrilled to be able to partner really well with the planning group on translating that into the UDO. Sherry and others, well Sherry especially has been very good about staying directly in contact with the planning board about when they're approaching decision points and bringing them into speak to the board and share what they're working on. we've been able to provide good feedback on you know on making sure they understand that agriculture comes in all shapes and sizes and that we want to be very careful about enabling agricultural activities across all of our land uses and thinking through the implications of that and they've been very receptive to that. Our next step will be making sure that as we define what an.

Agricultural use is that we're being very clear and thoughtful about those definitions. But we've been thrilled to be able to be able to engage in that respect. You know, I think the last thing I will say, and I've kind of already said it, is we have, well, I I've said it, but not explicitly. We are so grateful for the support of this board of county commissioners to the work that we do. We we do feel very very grateful and very proud that Durham County is a unique place., and this commitment is unique., we also just think in general the the Durham County is unique in its placement in sort of the agricultural spectrum. We have a huge agricultural history. We have been doing a lot of work to transition from tobacco and into other types of agriculture. And we view this this to be a really great way to connect our history to our future. to provide community members in our county with a way to a way to be engaged with the community. a.

Way to have hope about the future, a way to participate in this county's security and sovereignty. and we just are delighted and grateful to get to work on these types of things throughout the year and for the partnership of this board. So, I'll stop there. Thank you so much. Oh, I see Commissioner Burton's hand up first. >> Yeah. Yeah. Thank you so much for the report and I came to a meeting a couple of months ago, my first one and I learned a lot about what the farmland protection board does and I plan on being there in September. And one of the things that I'm really am liking about being on this board is really learning the importance of farmland in Durham County and why it's so important that we must protect the farm land that we have.

And that's really a great thing about us with the easements that we when we were going through the consent agenda and why that's so important. And another thing, we just had our North Carolina Association of County Commissioners meeting and the NCAACCC is doing its five-year strategic plan and one of my, co, one of our colleagues from Wake County, one of the things that we put on our list was protection of farmland because in both of our counties, we're seeing so much development and how do we protect the farmland that we have. So, this is a very important committee and I'm glad you all presented to us to make sure residents understand the importance of farming in Durham County.

The question I have was I really like the fact about partnering with schools. Is there a farmers of America, future farmers of America in the schools? I imagine it is because I taught elementary. I imagine it's a at the high school level. So, do you all work with them? Do we work with them? Yeah, we do., and soil and water again is our major conduit to that relationship. But, we do, they're at Northern and at Southern, correct? >> Northern. >> Jordan. Jordan. Yep. Right., and the, you know, there will be projects that we occasionally partner with them on. They are always at the farmers appreciation dinner, which is really great actually. They're very visible there and we all get a chance to interact with them in that in that respect. But the soil and water group partners with them on a lot of different projects and and brings that back to the board.

>> That's great. So thank you so much for your report and I'll yield back to the chair. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner Burton. I Oh, okay. I wanted to ask is there do we have information on like the number of farmers in Durham County who have been like either growing or raising livestock that is becoming like more and more unsustainable for them that they're looking to venture into alternate like crops or livestock. And I asked that because I know over several years now at the state legislature, they've had the compassionate care act that's been introduced it unfortunately hasn't passed the House, but it's passed the Senate that would make it legal to grow marijuana in the state of North Carolina and making it legal for medicated use for PTSD victims of war and specific treatments. And I know one of the things that I've talked to legislators about is that if it becomes legal in North Carolina, like doing special licenses where the first in.

Order to grow it, you have to be like a local North Carolina farmer rather than like national corporate farmers coming in and taking up all of those contracts in business. So wondering like so that way we can advocate also like if this legislation is moving forward that you know Durham County farmers who may be interested in that have a chance to get those licenses if it moves forward. I I don't have any numbers on that, but my job, part of my job and John Little's job in cooperative extension is to get the word out and to always offer new information and and opportunities like that to people. we do talk to people often who are trying to transition or find new ways of supporting income, especially through the grant. you know, they might be changing up their strategies to bring in new customers that kind of thing.

So, we are always in contact with people. I don't I don't have any numbers. but definitely we're always sending out information. So, if if something like that comes about, we share the word. Yeah. >> Okay. Thank you, Commissioner Jacobs. >> well, thank you so much for this report. I really can't recall the last time that the farmland board presented to us. So, I I'm really glad that you all are here., thank you. I'm looking out at all the partners here who also wear many other hats. Mark Waller is on the environmental affairs board with me.

David Harris is on the UNRBA with me. So you know just appreciate everyone and everything that you do. My first term in office, I was on the farmland board and I loved it because not only for all the reasons that Commissioner Burton said, but also just being able to meet farmers in our community because that's who's serving on the board and and and the variety of different types of farmers that we have in Durham. And even at the soil and water anniversary celebration, I met ran into one of our farmers who said thank you to me for the farmland grant that had really recently had really helped him be a successful farmer. So I am first of all also want to thank you for your partnership with the schools. I mean those are our future farmers and also being part of the UDO revision process and I know that we did change something in the draft thanks to you all related to farming and and I just want to say that the whole underlying.

Philosophy of the UDO is to concentrate high density growth within in the urban growth boundary so that we can protect our farmland and our water resources. And I just want to say that because I think it's important to remind ourselves that that's the whole point of of our future place type map and the UDO. we we are going to need to have high density development and it's the that's what is going to allow us to be able to do that and also protect our natural resources.

I was wondering if you all are also involved in the open space plan that's happening right now. So Durham County and the city of Durham is doing their first ever joint plan. Are you guys involved with that process? >> Celeste Burns is >> Yeah. So Celeste is on our board and and well works with our board extremely closely and she brings that connection to us. >> Okay, great. I just want to make sure because I didn't hear that. And the other plan that I wanted to ask you if you're involved with is the rail trail plan because that will represent a real opportunity for farmers., I know that there's one farmer, Helena Craig, and her, partner who have a farm in Braggtown is very close to the trail. And I just think that there's going to be amazing opportunities to create access, whether it's commercial or whatever, for residents and farmers. So, just want to hear if you guys are working on that.

>> We are. So, we're really lucky in that we've got Deborah Lukan on the board as our representative from open space and trails and she has been bringing updates about the rail trail and exactly the same sort of perspective that you just presented that there are opportunities for farmers on this trail to potentially engage with it in a in a unique way. and so we have been getting updates on that for the last few months and they're kind of tracking it on a monthly basis and are pretty excited about it. Yeah.

>> Yeah. I mean just even thinking about agurism, right? >> Yeah. And and and I will say too also considering sort of both sides of the perspective making sure that we're really thinking through how to make land owners comfortable with the trail coming proximal to their land. Some are some are to your point Helena Craig recognizes this is an opportunity to engage with the community. There are others who are used to being to you know sort of private and having and and you know needing to understand how this could impact their their use of their land I think is part of what we're also paying attention to. Thank you for that.

And I yeah I want to encourage everyone there's a survey going on right now and for people to have input. We're in the second phase of the planning. and my my last question is well first of all when you do the updated plan which 2009 >> definitely we're talking a 16-year-old plan. So really glad. Will that be brought back and presented to this board at when you all when that's finished? >> Yes, we would love that. Yes, that would be >> okay. Yes, that would be great if you could present that., I just want to ask what are the would you say are the biggest challenges today for farmers and you know Durham is a very small county when it comes to land and I know we're trying to be innovative and supportive but just and food security is one of our priorities.

What what are you all see hearing and seeing as the biggest challenges? >> Yeah, I'll let Sherry jump in too. She may be closer to the statistics because they did they've got a very robust workup of that information sort of nationally and as well as what we heard from our our community in that that strategy plan. but what we know on the board is that access to land continues to be one of the biggest barriers and you know work continually paying attention to thoughtful ways to help with transition planning or perhaps partnership with large land owners and smaller farmers who would like to get started. the whole you know sort of foundational need for the farmland protection board in some ways comes down to this loss of land from agricultural purpose makes it nearly impossible for farmers to get back onto land for agricultural purpose. the economics have become such that buying land to use for agriculture and then the sort of earning potential of it is is not is not on par with and.

And this is the whole point of the easement program is not on par with with the actual real estate cost to get onto land. And so as you see the thing that we're trying to prevent is transition of land out of family hands because it becomes nearly impossible to get back onto that land for farm uses. And that's that's nationwide. The whole all the statistics you see on loss of farmland and the the mean age of farmers has to do with that. So that access to land is is critical. and being thoughtful about how we enable folks to get access to land. and then you know from linked to that and linked to what I just said has to do with making sure there is a market and an awareness and a place for farmers to sell their their wares as it were to the community. And when that works we get a very a very beneficial economic cycle established where money stays in our community and that security and that.

Sovereignty plays out. but it it requires continually helping our farmers to be able to make their produce and their meats and other products available to the consumer at a price that is competitive in a in marketplaces that are accessible. and so we, you know, we see lots of the farmers markets working very hard to access the wick programs and the other SNAP programs. And as those those become precarious in the current environment, continually making sure that we've got a way to make the farmers products accessible to our community is probably in my mind one of the other critical factors.

I I think you stated that perfectly, but also con keeping in mind the cost of community services in those areas that are open and compared to that, you know, high density. >> I'm sorry, could you move the mic a little closer? What was the last thing you just said? >> just the cost of keeping in mind the cost of community services in those areas that are preserved versus in more urban areas. you know supporting agriculture and how important that is for that purpose as well.

>> Thank you so much. And you just mentioned the SNAP program which we know is at risk. >> Yeah, exactly. >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, Commissioner Valentine. >> yes. Thank you, Madam Chair. Miss Connley, thank you so much for your report here today and also for your written report. I want to highlight several things that you discussed. One was the agricultural districts. And so as we ride around, particularly the the northern part of the county, you can imagine that these signs, they take on new meaning. And so you're right, they're very visible in our community. And the other is the tower gardens that's mentioned in your written report. And so during my day job, I work at North Carolina Central School of Law. And I'm happy to report that the partnership with NCCU law and the garden that's available for for students and so thank you for that. So my my question is outside of the four corners of the document that you've submitted and you talked about.

Some some request and I guess the my question really is anchored in having a discussion at the soil and water anniversary with the farmer who said don't forget us. and so in that vein, what are some things that you that didn't quite make the report that you that you want to bring forward in in with respect to us helping you in the work that you do? >> that is a great question. Thank you for that and thank thank you for your comments. I I think you know first and foremost we we we just want to reiterate that we are so grateful for the the support that we have and we we want to make sure that we maintain this momentum around the open space and around the egg grants., I think for me, and I'll let Sherry speak because she's she's going to have additional perspectives, but for me it is continuing to amplify the visibility and the message that we have a farmers a farming community that is unique, it is.

Vibrant, it is evolving, it is in some cases new and in need of support and helping the community to engage with that, helping us to think about ways to inform the community about our farmers markets and the fact that there are programs to make the produce accessible. and and the product accessible and and helping folks to, you know, helping us to continue to find ways to make buying farmer produced product versus grocery store or the Target, helping to make that part of the cycle easier. and and supporting the farmers economically that way to make sure that their businesses are going to be viable. and just, you know, I think I think that that to me is one of the main things is just helping our citizens to to know that this is here for them and that this is part of a cycle of virtue that will strengthen our county. and and I would say too helping folks in our community to know that this is a path because of that.

Because of that sort of enrichment of the cycle that this is a path that's available to them too. and there are variety of reasons that people are in farming or get into farming and it for me I farm because you know it's not it's never it I can't do it at the scale that it's going to be my main job but it is the main thing that supports me from a sanity perspective. It allows me to engage with the community. It allows me to feel like I'm doing something for the environment. It allows me to feel like I'm doing something to create some food security. And for folks who are looking for a path or looking for a way to to do something meaningful, this can be a real lifeline. So, helping helping to bolster that message that this is there for them on both sides of the equation and that they can be a part of it too and helping us to get that message out there.

I don't have a lot to add but I will bring up the importance and the connections that I've been able to make through the don team in the schools. We do we are focusing a lot today on the high school age groups, but we really and you mentioned the tower garden and you've seen in the report some pictures from the younger ages as well, but you know instilling those values of growing and the importance and you know eating something that's actually you know produced physically not created. I'm not sure how to say that but you know the instilling those values at an early age are really important. The dine team is has been phenomenal in the classrooms and you know those connections have allowed us to bring the grant to some of those schools and you know and teachers that we don't have as much contact with often. They've kind of created those relationships for us. So, you know, teaching people at a young age.

>> Y, >> thank you. >> Thank you. It's a great great question. >> Thank you so much. We appreciate all the work in y'all's presentation and we look forward to having you back. >> Great. >> Okay. Thank you so much for this opportunity. It's great to speak with you. Our next item is the 2023 youth risk behavior survey and 2024 state of the county health report data with director Dr. Jenkins and his team. And I'll be passing it to, Vice Chair Lee to lead the meeting. I have to step out for a little bit.

Good morning, Board of County Commissioners. Hope everyone's doing well and enjoyed the long weekend. We continue to be grateful to this great board for your support of public health, even more so during these very frenetic yet trying times. with me today I do have our population health division director Marissa Moretti the coordinator for the partnership for healthy Durham Miss Bria Miller who will go into detail about the state of the county health report. But right beside me I do have public health epidemiologist Savannah Carico who will detail the 2023 youth risk behavior survey. Without further ado, we'll let these ladies get started.

>> All right., thank you so much. Like Rod mentioned, my name is Savannah Carico and I've actually worked this month at Durham County for about four years. >> Good morning. My name is Bria Miller. I'm the Partnership for Healthy Durham coordinator and I've also been in my position for about four years. And I do want to thank you board for your continued support of the Partnership for Healthy Durham, which is our community health collaborative. and it has been a collaborative for over 20 years.

And good morning board. My name is Marissa Moretti. I have been with Durham County for 13 years and I've been the population health director for five years and a couple of months and glad to be here and share our data that we work so hard to make sure that we get back out to the community. >> All right., so yes, thank you so much for this opportunity. We really appreciate it and it is my pleasure to be here with you this morning. So I'm just going to dive in. So the youth risk behavior survey, just to give a little bit of background, it's actually a survey put together by the CDC and it is done every two years. The data that I'm presenting today, the survey was conducted in spring of 2023. So the youth risk behavior survey does cover a multiple array of health topics.

Things ranging from physical health, mental health, nutrition, even bullying. So, all aspects of kind of the well-being that middle and high school students feel when they are taking this survey. So, I also want to mention that Durham is an oversampled county which is great. It means we have a large sample size. we have over 2,000 kids participating in 2023. And I wanted to mention that all eligible middle and high schools participated and eligible schools are Durham Public Schools. So looking at the demographics of the middle and high school students. So they actually are very similar to the demographics of the actual school. So we know that the data is representative of the general population to the middle and high schoolers. and we know that too because the data is able to be weighted. So we do see some sub sixth, seventh and eighth graders were equally represented.

Ninth graders were over represented but the genders were equal for both middle and high school students. So, starting with mental health, one of the questions that I find most impactful that I always want to highlight in my reports, there is a question that says, in the past 12 months, have you felt so sad or hopeless almost every day for two weeks in a row or more that you stopped doing some usual activities?, and according to the American Psychology Association, that is pretty close to the definition for depression. So this is a good metric to use to measure depression among middle and high schoolers. So pointing to the graph down below we break it down by sex and females are much more likely to report experiencing symptoms of depression. And I was able to do some analysis across the four surveys since 2017. And when looking at reporting depression, students are five times more likely to consider suicide and 2.6 seven times more likely to make a suicide plan., and students that reported feeling.

Feelings of depression are over 1.5 times more likely to consume alcohol or marijuana in the past 30 days. And these findings are statistically significant. >> I I just had a quick question. when you if you know any trend data when you're ex it would be really be helpful because I think when I read this report the I I kept wanting to know well what is the trend data >> like what comp like compared to what it was you know the previous report or whatever so if you ha if you know any of that offhand that would be great >> I have some points in the powerpoint side but I am also working on a trend report that analyzes those four years since 2017. So stay tuned for that.

>> Okay. Yes, please share that with us. Thank you. >> Absolutely. Yeah. >> so moving on to physical activity and nutrition. these the data points are very interesting. They kind of do this. So, we've got a high end of students that don't eat breakfast seven days in the past week and it kind of dips down and then it spikes back up for students that eat breakfast every day. So, we see that one in five high schoolers reported never eating breakfast in the past week and one in four middle school students reported eating or and high school students reported eating breakfast every day of the week., and middle schoolers were actually 24% more likely to eat breakfast every day than high schoolers.

And I also did want to point out the excellent work that the dine team does and I've seen firsthand the data representation of their student education programs. And so those are excellent. Moving on to physical activity, high school students were more likely to report they did not exercise at all in the past week than exercising every day in the past week. But interestingly that is the opposite for middle schoolers. School support. these are slightly newer questions that appeared on the 2021 youth risk behavior survey. one of which was do you feel that you belong at school? And so we use that as a proxy for adverse childhood events and resilience. they are metrics that can be used to identify any issues that students may be experiencing.

And over one in five high school students reported that they agree that their teachers give them support and encouragement. and again there are more questions regarding school support. So I highly encourage you to check out the report that's available online. So substance use among high schoolers from 2021 to 2023. So just between those two years, alcohol use among high schoolers actually decreased, which is very interesting because in all the literature and findings that we've seen elsewhere, the substance use has actually increased. and some reasons for that could be that this survey is voluntary and it is anonymous, but there could be some self-reporting bias.

Students that may not feel comfortable answering this question. so that is a possibility for why that could be explained. And I think also the CO 19 pandemic did impact what students are doing recreationally in terms of substances. So just some facts for you. So high schoolers that reported ever using a vape were 5.2 times as likely to use cigarettes and 7.2 times as likely to use marijuana in the past 30 days. And that's similar with alcohol use. For middle schoolers, we see that eighth graders are more likely to drink alcohol than their other grades. and then we see a smaller percentage of students using marijuana. however, we do see kind of in the middle the ever misused prescription pain drugs.

Which I think is kind of a vague question personally because I don't know how a middle schooler would really interpret that. but regardless, this is the data that was presented and that we do have., so I did want to make sure I highlighted that. Lastly, looking at tobacco use., so we can see that most students said that they had never tried a vape., but we see high schoolers, 30% of high schoolers have tried a vape, while 16,% of middle schoolers did try a vape., so this also decreased among middle schoolers. So vaping decreased from 2021 to 2023, which is a great direction. but then as I pointed out, vaping is more common in high schoolers.

And that is all I have for you. Again, I encourage you to check out the full report that's available at healthydurham.org. Thank you. >> Thank you for the opportunity to present on the state of the county health report. I may refer to it as the satch just because it's a little shorter. But this provides an update on priority issues that are identified in our community health assessment. helps us to look at the emerging issues and also identify the new initiatives. So this is submitted every year that we do not submit a community health assessment.

And this is based on the 2023 community health assessment. So this is a look at our current top health priorities. Here you see affordable housing, access to healthcare and health insurance, community safety and well-being, mental health, physical activity, nutrition and food access. These were determined through a process in our community health assessment by looking at our community health assessment data. So that is what people in our community actually told us. Also looking at secondary data and we conducted listening sessions in English and Spanish.

Now looking at some emerging issues and new initiatives. In November of 2024, Durham residents voted and and to approve two bonds to improve streets and sidewalks and parks. this had an overwhelming support of votes that would bring a total of $200 million to improve the city's transportation network, enhance various infrastructure projects, and develop public spaces. The total number of unsheltered people in Durham, meaning those sleeping in cars, on the street, or in the woods, is up by 123% since 2020. The unshel sheltered count increased by another 9% from 2023 to 2024 with 158 unsheltered people during the point in time count. The number of homeless children increased by 58% and families increased by 31%. Homelessness impacts some groups more than others due to issues such as poverty, barriers to resources, and limited opportunities to obtain generational wealth.

Durham County is receiving 11.6 million in opioid resettlement funds over an 18-year period, and Durham County hosted nearly 70 community members to discuss how this money should be spent. The top three strategies identified were evidence-based addiction treatment, evidence-based recovery support services, and recovery support housing. Now, looking at some demographics and life expectancy, Durham's population continues to grow. The total population is 329,45, which is an increase of 3.7% from 2020 to 2023. People ages 25 to 34 make up the largest age group of residents, followed by those ages 5 to 17 and then those 65 and up. Durham residents life expectancy is higher than North Carolina's. The average life expectancy of a Durham County resident is 79.2 while it is 76.2 for North Carolina.

Now looking at leading causes of death and infant mortality. Cancer remains the leading cause of death among Durham residents. Following cancer is disease of the heart, accidents, cere cerebrovascular diseases such as stroke and brain aneurysms and Alzheimer's. Infant mortality is the death of a baby before they reach the age of one. This rate is important in measuring the overall health of communities. The infant mortality rate remained steady in 2018 through 2022 compared to 2017 through 2021 in Durham County.

So now looking at changes in data and these are based on the top health priorities here in Durham. Affordable housing is again the top health issue in Durham County which was the same as what was identified in 2017. Housing is the foundation of a healthy life. Research shows that homelessness is associated with increased mortality and shortened lifespan. A large portion of Durham residents are housing cost burden with about 18% of renters considered housing cost burden while about 45% of homeowners are considered housing cost burden. 49% of householders over the age of 65 are impacted by severe housing cost burden compared to 29% of householders ages 25 to 34.

Now looking at access to healthcare and health insurance. Access to healthcare and health insurance was identified as the second highest health priority again in 2023 community health assessment process. Health care is most often obtained by health insurance leaving those without health insurance most vulnerable to negative health outcomes and making preventative care less accessible. In 2022, 10.59% of the population under the age of 65 were un uninsured in Durham County, which is a decrease from 14% in 2019. As a result of Medicaid expansion, nearly 16,000 Durham County residents had enrolled in Medicaid since November of 2023, as the time of this report, which was in March of 2024.

Now looking at community safety and well-being. Community safety and well-being was identified as the third top health priority in the 2023 CHA process. This is a new health priority which replaces poverty. While violent crime is an aspect of community safety and well-being, it intersects with other health issues such as traffic and pedestrian safety and creating a community designed for mental health and well-being. When compared to similar counties in North Carolina, Durham's crime index is the second highest following for Scythe County. Of the crimes listed, robbery, murder, and burglary are the most prevalent forms of crime in Durham.

Social vulnerabil vulnerability refers to the factors that adversely impact communities that encounter threats and other community level stress stressors such as poverty and lack of transportation. Durham social vulnerability index score is 0.69 which is higher than the average in North Carolina and across the United States. Now looking at mental health, mental health was identified as the fourth top health priority again in 2023. The availability of mental health providers is a protective factor in the community although there are barriers to accessing services. The rate of mental health providers per 100,000 people in Durham is more than double the rate of North Carolina and nationally. The graph on the screen shows deaths by suicide or drug or alcohol poisoning. Sadly, 73 Durham County residents died by deaths of despair 20 from 2018 to 2022. There is a decline from 11.9 per 100,000 residents in 2021 to 7.9 in 2022.

Now looking at physical activity, nutrition, and food access. Physical activity, nutrition, and food access has been the fifth top health priority for over a decade in Durham. Communities that create space for physical activity have healthier people and decreased risk of dise obesity and other chronic conditions. Most health indicators in Durham County related to this priority have improved and are better compared to North Carolina and the United States. Access to healthcare opportunities, I'm sorry, exercise opportunities in Durham County, has increased from 86% in 2022 to 88% in 2023. The food index score, which is a measure combining access to healthy foods and food security, has improved from 7.7 out of 10 in 2019 to eight out of 10 in 2021, showing that more residents have access to healthy foods and are less and less are food insecure. Obesity has decreased from 34% in 2022 to 30% in 2023. and type two diabetes rates have also decreased from 12.9% in two 2019 to 11% in 2021.

So on this slide is a picture of different people doing things in our community but also of some resources that we do have here. One of them is the Durham down payment assistance programs which helps people to become homeowners in our community. Another is of people meeting to discuss healthy housing conditions and what that could look like here in Durham County. So, this was an event that was put on by Partnership for Healthy Durham's healthy health and housing committee., along with Duke Health, you also see a stenciling project that is happening in several schools and in different places in our community, which is a really neat way for young people to be able to exercise.

You also see a picture here of the 988 help line, which is a mental health line., from November 2023 to October 2024, they received 2,452 calls from Durham County residents. There's also a picture here in the center of mindful meetups. mental health has seemed to become more and more important and the mental health committee has a number of resources for the community, but we're also particularly focusing on people who are providing mental health supports for others. And so we have monthly opportunities for people to get together so that they too know that they're supported.

This this report, the state of the county health report is available at healthydurham.org and this is Savannah and I's contact information. Do you all have any questions? >> All right. we'll go to m Commissioner Burton and then we'll go to Commissioner Jacobs. >> thank you, Vice Chair Lee. Thank you for this wonderful report., I was really reading it thoroughly last night getting ready for our meeting tonight. And I have several questions, but I'm not going to dominate because I know my colleagues have questions. There were a few things that struck out to me. I read the long report that came out that was submitted along with this and some of the things that I noticed was it was broken down more by race and noticing among African-American children and Latino children them being overweight., also the number of white children, young people who consume marijuana and alcohol. That was something that struck out that stuck to me, you know, and wondering the reasons why that's occurring. But with the overweight and.

Then the breakfast, I'm wondering how we're getting nutrition because I believe overweight is really a proxy of nutrition and wondering how are we making sure our children, our families eat healthy, right? and understand the importance of nutrition because when you're under stress, right, and you have income inequality, you tend to go to foods that have a lot of calories, but they're not necessarily high in nutrition. So, I know that Raina and public health and cooperative extension are really trying to do a good job with getting the information out with regards to the importance of nutritious eating. Do you all have any did that stick out to you all when you saw that information or if you want to expound on that?

>> Yeah. I agree that is an interesting way that the data turned out. I will say that you're probably familiar that Durham Public Schools offers free meals and I believe in 58 of the schools. So we have that opportunity. and then of course the the dying team comes in and educates people. and I think so I think you're right. the the income levels are a contributor to the poor nutrition that we're seeing in schools. And I think a lot of students well >> Bria do you want to >> and I used to teach too so I I observe like students eating patterns. I was mostly at the elementary level and when you get to the middle and high school you have a kids they just don't want to eat breakfast for whatever reason.

>> Right. Right. Right. >> Absolutely. And I'll say even from the community health assessment, we do ask people like what prevents them from eating healthy foods all of the time or most of the time. The number one people say is the lack of time to do so. so I think any program that is going to provide ways for families to have more money and to have more time to spend together. Of course, like getting the food is one piece, right? Like are you able to go to the grocery stores? Do you need to go to a food distribution site and wait in a line?, and then looking at different things with food preparation are also factors., I can also tell you that one thing that the partnerships, physical activity, nutrition, and food access committee is focusing on is ways to equip the food distribution sites or food pantries with more tools that they can use and so they can also do demonstrations for families who are going there. and.

They're also working so that we can hopefully provide some of these tools from library so people can check out the proper utensils and tools so that they can prepare u meals at home. >> Yeah, I guess that's something that we're just going to have to continuously work on because we want healthy outcomes for our children and our families, right? So we don't have these health issues as they get older. So but there is a correlation there, right? with time, okay, income, you know, housing affordability, the stressors. So, and the other thing that I picked up was about this high mortality rate amongst AfricanAmerican infant mortality. That was very, very alarming to me., but again, there's something with health insurance, lack of health care, access to health care, time, money, resources, it's all connected. and how do we figure this out so we don't have this problem?

So what what are your solutions? What do we need to do? >> Why that has been something that has been plaguing us for decades. why is it that black moms and black babies are dying at a alarming rate, sometimes double and triple the rate of their counterparts?, you know, shout out to ACM Pierce and and many others who have been a part of the Black Maternal Health Conference that we've had in conjun collaboration with the Black Pearl Society and collaborations with Guilford County, Mecklenburg County, and now Wake County. We're doing our best to try our be try to determine what are those root causes that have you know exacerbate this this this epidemic really. We have Born in Durham Healthy for Life. that has been in existence since 2018. here locally in Durham to really determine, you know, in partnership with Duke Health what we can do and those things that we can do to to really, you know, to make inroads. happy to report that at the most recent CEO community health.

Advisory board, we did see and hear that we are making strides when it comes to infant mortality. in as much as the rate going down dra precipitously and drastically. So we have a long way to go. it's c certainly no silver bullet but at the same time we know that awareness is important. We know that partnerships and collaboration with our birthing community continues to be very important and public health is fiercely going after this with all that we have.

Well, you have woke I I knew these things were issues, but reading this report really has opened my eyes to it, even with being in the schools, seeing these things, but seeing it in all the data., so I appreciate you all., I'm going to get on the stick as a commissioner to figure out how do we solve these problems and I'll be working closely with you all and other people in the community with ACM Pierce because we have to figure this out. So, I appreciate you all very much.

>> We thank you for your continued support. >> And Commissioner Jacobs, >> well, thank you so much to all of you for the work that you're doing and for this for these reports. similar to the farmland report, I don't think we've had these reports presented to us in a while. So, really appreciate you sharing them with us. It's very important for us to understand as Commissioner Burton has said the facts that we have to help inform the policy. And I'm wondering since the youth report was 2023 survey, does that mean you all have are doing or have done a 2025 youth risk survey?

>> Yeah, that's a great question. So, the 2025 survey was conducted in the spring of this year., it's going to look a lot different from previous years because in previous years it was an opt out survey., so you a parent could opt you out of, taking the survey, but now it is opt in., so parents have to provide consent to take the survey for the students even though it's anonymous and voluntary. So the demographics I think of students that are going to take the survey are going to look very different. this for this next report >> and yeah, could you explain why that changed and that Yeah, that's concerning.

>> yeah, it's administrative changes at the federal level because it is a CDC survey. So, >> wow. But I did also want to note as well that there is a lag in the data. So when we do the survey, it's usually at least a year, potentially more. And so by the time the data is analyzed, we could put the report out. Sometimes it's about a year and a half since the the survey was was taken. >> Well, that is very concerning to know that people it was an optin.

That's really sad that we won't be able to have a a true reflection of the kids in our community. I'm really sad to hear that. Okay. Wow. I'm sorry. That's just like mindblowing. So my qu my question was, you know, there's such important information in here and I was wondering how this report gets shared directly with our teachers, our school administrators, with the school board. Because when I read this, I feel like there are so many opportunities for schools to try to address some of these issues, you know, if they are aware. because again, they're they're just, you know, we since 2023, we rolled out the universal breakfast and lunch., of course that's threatened now with federal policy, but I think still there's a lot of things that people can do who are in a position to to make changes if it's as simple as making sure the kids are exercising more or you know, you know how we're trying to promote the food, breakfast and lunch. If you say.

The issue is time, you know, again, so h how how is this do you know how it's being really used this report? >> Yeah. oop, excuse me. So, it is used by the Durham Public Schools. We work very closely with Dr. Royster. He helps review the report and he gets it out to the Durham Public Schools. I've also sent it out to the Durham Office on Youth with Dr. Boon with TRI., I presented it at the ACES and resilience task force and again it's all available online., I will also mention that online there are infographics for middle school and high schoolers for the this survey that is more digestible that's more public facing that's a little bit more friendly to a wide audience in case you don't want to read the massive report. so that's available as well.

So we promote it through the partnership networks and get it out as well. Okay. I'm wondering if if this I'm assuming that this is federally funded doing this survey and report., if if it turns out that we can't get accurate data by having an optin, is there any I know I'm just asking this on the fly, but I wonder if there might be the opportunity for us to just pull a few questions whether it's for that we can do our own survey in Durham through the schools because I'm concerned that if we don't have a way to really include all of our students.

That is going to be very I think very concerning >> concerning indeed and I share a lot of your I share and echo a lot of your sentiments. I stand ready to work with Dr. Lewis and team. we meet with the cabinet frequently and this is certainly something that we could to talk about with them. But yeah, these are some concerning times. Earlier this year, I did see where RBI R YBS was slated to be on a chopping block for CDC funding cuts. So, we're hopeful that, you know, cooler heads will prevail and we'll be able to continue to do this, but it does not look promising.

>> Okay. All right. Well, I guess we'll put a pin in it that I think we're all going to have to look at creative, flexible, adapt, adaptive approaches to make sure that we're still doing the things that we need to do for our community. So, I know you all will come forward with whatever you think is the best solution. And I I share the concern about black infant mortality. That has been a a priority for this board for a number of years and I know that we're continuing to we need to stay focused on that. around housing you know we're doing a homeless strategic plan right now and I don't know if you all if public health is involved in that.

>> Yes ma'am we are involved. >> Okay fantastic. and I think hopefully that will help give us some you know a a path forward. I would say around the doubling in the data if you dig down into the data around homelessness you see that what we've seen an increase is number one in families and the second is chronically homeless people. so people who are suffering from severe mental illness and substance use disorder, that's where we're seeing a lot of that increase.

And I would say that I was very concerned when digging into the youth data not only around the racial disparities., the two that really jumped out at me was marijuana use was very high for black high school students, much higher than any other demographic. And the other was shocking was access to a gun. I don't know if you have if we could pull that up, but it was or if you remember offhand the number of kids who said that they could get a gun within 13 minutes.

>> Yeah. >> Do you remember the number it was? >> Yeah. So, >> in their cars, but so but that that was absolutely horrifying to see that data around access to guns. That that is correct. And again, Durham County's firearm injury prevention partnership, the new term for the gun safety team, continues to advocate through messaging, through our partnership with NCAFE. I personally have been in in partnership with Sierra Scott, who's the director of the North Carolina Office of Violence Prevention. in as much as making sure that that awareness is is out there.

Giving away gun locks, giving away gun safes and everything continues to be an effective way. But again, you're right, Commissioner Jacobs, we have to get parents to understand that, you know, leaving it out or leaving it unsecured is is the surefire way to have a fatality within their homes. >> Yeah. And I'll just end on a high point. The data around food security amazing to see that we in 2017 we were like over 16% and now way down and you saw a little peak during the pandemic but to see the achievement that we have made in addressing food security and I know that's been a focus for Durham County.

We've put a lot of effort and it shows that it's paid off and I just thanks to the dime program and and SNAP and everything that's going on and again that's going to be challenged and we have to keep focused on that. So >> quite the high note, but just want to say again thank you to this great board for the investments that you've made. Be it the food security officer position that is housed at the cooperative extension, investments in dine, investments in double bucks and farmers markets, black farmers markets. It's all paying dividends and we're hopeful that those these trying times will not negate the progress that we've made thus far. But just know that your public health department is committed to excellence. We want to continue to do great work.

>> All right, I'm gonna go to Commissioner Valentine real quick, but let me ask a quick question since we're on the food security and security slide there. It's the not it's like the second to the last slide. It has the graphs of the physical activity, nutrition, food access. Could could we go back through this because it's a little confusing to me. You you kind of had some numbers and like it was 2017 60.5. I don't know what the 16.5 means versus I guess it's 12.2 now, but it's going back up. But we're we're celebrating.

I'm not really sure. Could could we go back through this? because I was a little confused on what this actually meant. >> Sure. This was for the food index score. >> so this is a measure it combines access to healthy foods as well as food security. Okay. >> For sorry food insecurity. and so that's these are the numbers that you see. So for 2017 he Oh.

>> Yeah. Okay. Good. So go ahead go ahead here. I'm sorry. She she was just saying she misunderstood it. So yeah, >> you're pointing something that Oh., so I think this this is what you're referring to or you're just Okay. >> I don't know. I don't know what's good or what's bad here, right? So like >> so the blue line is looking at food insecurity and we want that line to go down because we want less people to be food insecure and then the I guess that dark blueish purple.

>> Yeah. >> So the light blue >> So light blue >> snap benefits >> and the dark sorry I apologize. You're right. So the the light blue is going to be the snap benefits. the population that's able to like receive those funds. And so we saw them they were at 12.8 in 2017 and then we saw a dip and then we saw that increase again significantly between 2019 and 2021. And then we saw a slight decrease in between 2021 and 2022 and then Oh >> I need your mic. Yeah. Yeah.

And so I think what you heard is like a combination of the two that I said here was of like looking at food insecurity as well as access to healthy foods. So I was going through it in a combination with the numbers that I was sharing. This has them separated. >> All right. So on this graph, we'll just say the black line for now because it kind of looks black up there. >> Yes. Sorry, it's hard to >> So food insecurity rate was 16.5 in 2017. Correct.

>> That's it. It's 16 the index score. I guess that's that's what we're talking about. And it looks like it bottomed out in 2021. That's so now we're going back up. That's what the trend looks like. We're going back up. And that is seems as if it's a result of SNAP benefits going the correlation. It looks I know correlation is not causation. I get that. But it looks as if we're saying the reduction of SNAP benefits here is causing an increase of food insecure insecurity. Am I correct in and in in that?

>> Yes, that's correct. and I believe the drop down in 2021 is no data was available for that year. well the drop down in 2021 I believe is the COVID pandemic because the SNAP program expands as needed and so more benefits went out during the during the pandemic to address food needs. >> Okay. >> Okay. All right. Thank you. I I just the context around the numbers what were were not clear during the presentation. So I just wanted to go back to that.

Thank you Commissioner Valentine. >> Yes. So, thank you for your report here this morning. Dr. Jenkins, for your continued leadership and your 21 years collectively of of service to our county. I think as part of your presentation that was important that you highlighted suicide prevention in light of September being suicide prevention month and coming out of a community where suicide is in crisis amongst the veteran population. I'm always concerned about the nature of suicide also with our our young people and the stressors that they're constantly under. And also thank you for highlighting 9 98 as a resource in our community for those who are in crisis above, you know, using 911 as a resource. And so I appreciate that. I also want to align myself with comments that were made by Commissioner Burton and Commissioner Jacobs with regards to black infant mortality. And so I know prior to even coming to this board that this board has made a commitment to improving black infant mortality. And so I hope.

To be a part of that moving forward. I look forward to the trend data. I think that was a good point that was raised a little a little earlier. But for those who are are potentially watching and looking at all the numbers and not quite clear what those numbers mean, how would you characterize the state of our health here in Dorm County? What would you say to someone who had that question? >> It's a great question., we continue to be challenged with improving, but, Durham County continues to do well.

Out of 100 counties, we normally on an annual basis rank in the top 10. I'm not going to rest my tenure as public health director until we're number one. I do know that that same fire and desire to be number one also extends to the CEO of Duke Dr. Craig Albanesey's who just said last week that he wants us to be number one. And with that, we know that we have the resources, we have the manpower and the expertise to be able to get there.

It's it's really a matter of getting out into the masses, getting to communities, getting to families to really understand that there are resources here. I'm I'm encouraged by the benefits coalition that we are establishing. and belief. Greg Maro is chairing it was the brainchild chair lob and also mayor former mayor Steve Steve Schu. We leave a lot of money on the table for benefits on an annual basis and these are the times when our families and in Durham community needs it. I'm also encouraged by what our epidemiologists pointed out that of often time youth vaping leads to more marijuana use. So there are investments in public health with a regional tobacco control manager whose focus now is on exclusively on youth vaping through the use of jewel settlement funds from the state. So we look to see market improvement when it comes to vaping.

I've been working really closely with her to ensure that Durham Public Schools and all of our surrounding colleges may be may be able to get that health education as well., so there's a number of things. Again, Commissioner Jacobs mentioned the, homeless initiatives that's partnered partnering with the county and the city. We look forward to that producing results, with our, unsheltered individuals. We're doing a number of things in order to improve our standing as a healthy community, but as it stands right now, I I truly do believe that Durham is in good shape. we still have a ways to go, but compared to like-siz counties and other counties that were on there, your for sightes, your Guilfords, we we fare a lot better.

>> And excuse me. So I just want to point out I did me speak earlier about the about the chart. So I just wanted to acknowledge that and and Savannah was correct in that. So I just wanted to state that in addition to Dr. Dr. Jenkins about the state of the health in Durham County. We are extremely fortunate that we have a very engaged and committed community members who work with the partnership for a healthy Durham who are extremely vocal and tell us not only what is happening in the community but how they would like to see things addressed and they are true partners and that's something that is I think unique to Durham County just the how community centered the work that we do in public health and in the county and how ga engaged the community is. I will have to agree. I do have two boards that I report to to include the board of Board of County Commissioners and the board of health. But whenever the partnership for.

Healthy Durham calls me, I do feel as if I'm being called to the carpet to answer for the work that we doing. So, we're very fortunate, Durham. >> thank you, vice chair. Okay. Are there any other comments? Well, thank you very much for this. I appreciate it. And it's it's good to know Commissioner Jacobs said that this report hasn't been done in in a while. >> Hasn't been presented not report but yeah hasn't been presented. So we we definitely make this a regular a regular occurrence. Same thing with the previous the farm L. Thank you all very much.

Appreciate it. So our next agenda item is the tax reevaluation update. We have 45 minutes for that.

>> Good to see Good to see you, Mr. Doyle.

Good morning board and thank you for having me for this reappraisal update. >> Are we good to go? I'm waiting for anybody. >> No, we're good to go. Okay. Well, I'll jump right in. I am Kr Doyle, Durham County Tax Administrator, and I am going to go over the reappraisal update. Feel free to ask questions or hold them to the end. Either way, I try to do my best to not drag this out. The discussion topics will be the reappraisal overview, communications, the actual appeal process and the appeal status, tax bills and payment options, exist existing tax relief programs, and time for discussion.

So, briefly again, the reappraisal process is basically just the process of appraising thousands of properties as of a single date. And in this case, that was January 1, 2025. and the purpose is to bring all of the value taxable property value to 100%. North Carolina general statute 105286 requires that all counties conduct a reappraisal at least once every eight years. Process equalizes the tax base but is not intended to be a revenue generator. Previous reappraisal was conducted in 2019 and those values were in place and holding for the past six years.

Extensive communication efforts to increase awareness were conducted for this particular 2025 reappraisal due to the drastic increase in real estate property values across the county over the previous six years. This is just a snapshot of where we were prior to the reappraisal. This report came from the North Carolina Department of Revenue 2024 and prior to our reappraisal county's median sales ratio was roughly 61%. Communication efforts, reappraisal and tax relief handouts, flyers, videos, and brochures were created and circulated beginning in in February of 2024. So, roughly a year, a full year prior to change of value notices or reappraisal notices going out to the actual county.

Reappraisal and tax relief inserts were included in each of those March 2025 change of value notice mailings. So, everyone who owns property received a change of value notice. And in within that notice were also reappraisal information what it is why we're doing it when when we do it and tax relief inserts regarding when these applications need to be in by in regards to deadlines the state programs that is June 1st annually that's a state date that's not a Durham date and the reappraisal information in regards to the deadline line for appeals and things of that nature were all included in March 2025 change of value notice mailings.

The Department of Tax Administration ensured appeal instructions, appeal deadline date, and tax relief information were included in every communication prior to August 25 tax bill notice mailing, which again started February 2024 in regards to the information being circulated. 2025 reappraisal calendar important dates. November 12th was the date that the actual schedule of values were adopted. February 27th, 2025 reappraisal notices were actually mailed. March 3rd was the day that the actual online appeal system was set up and well initiated.

So that's the day that the first day that actual property owners could go into the online system and file an appeal if they didn't want to do a physical hard copy within our office. March 11th through April 12th, our office conducted informational meetings with anyone who wanted to schedule a meeting., we did them throughout the county at all of the libraries and we hosted two within the administration 2 building on Saturdays. June 16th was the deadline to appeal. August 12th, the actual tax bills were sent out.

Appeals. Appeals totaled 10,390 as of June 16th deadline date. Appeals totaled less than 8,000 following the 2019 reappraisal and that's actually the first two years. So that's including 2019 and 2020. Excuse me. appeals work through the month of August up to the date that I actually completed these slides were 5,09. We've done a few more since then because I turned this in last week and we did not get to calculate last week's total. So hopefully it's another thousand. Property owners may appeal the assessed value of any property they own before the board of equalization and review.

Property owners may appeal the assessed value further before the property tax commission if desired, which is on the state level. Late appeals specifically, property owners have a right to file an untimely appeal with the board of equalization and review. The department of tax administration must accept the appeal and issue a denial letter based on the untimely filing. The notice must afford taxpayer their due process and inform them of the deadline to appeal which in this case was June 16th. The property owner has the burden of proof to establish the appeal was filed timely.

Are there any questions specific to this slide before I move on? So, do we know how many untimely appeals we've gotten outside of the I guess around the 10,000 was within the >> regular window., but what does it look like for untimely? >> I do not know the total as of today., I do know that there have been hund at least 100 that have gone before the board of equalization and review. So when they do file an appeal, we do take it before the board because they have a right to go before the board. It's just that we do have to acknowledge the fact that it was received after June 16th.

>> Okay. >> And out of that the few that that have gone before the board, I do not know more. I think there have been two that actually were admitted. >> Okay. >> So overwhelmingly majority are denied based on the date. However, if there is some type of circumstance that the board deems they do accept. >> Okay. >> But it's just not a very high percentage. >> Okay. And and you started out with about 10,000. You're kind of halfway through that. does that mean you're anticipating another 3 months to get through those or >> I do not know.

>> Okay. I am anticipating that we will we are shooting to be done by December 1st, >> December 1st. >> That is a very aggressive >> that is a very aggressive goal, but that is our goal. >> Okay. >> these are you would assume that the ones that haven't been completed are some of the tougher ones. >> Okay. >> But the goal is to be done by December 1st. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Yes.

All right., I'll move on to the next slide. Tax bills and payment options. Tax bill notifications were delivered on August 12th. Property taxes are due September 1st and delinquent after January 5th each year statewide. Property taxes are due by January 5th, no matter the circumstances. Appeals. It's very important. Appeals prohibit the collection actions but do not forgive interest or penalties acrewed. All right. So January 5th after January 5th is really not within my realm or the tax administration's realm to forgive interest or penalties based on based on someone not paying their taxes under any circumstances.

So, there are a few options or suggested options in regards to anyone that is dealing with an appeal but waiting to pay their taxes because they're waiting to see the verdict of their appeal. Any tax payments made by appellants awaiting appeal results will be refunded if adjustments to values occur. And of course the other way around. If there's an adjustment unfortunately that goes upward, they'll be made aware in regards to what that difference is. Payment options. Property owners can pay towards their tax bill beginning in January of each year.

There is no limitation to when you start other than that we are in that particular new year. Property owners can utilize any form of payment, be it online, by check, and they they have many options on the website. Anybody who has any trouble with the website, please feel free to give us a call. Payment coupons were included in the August mailing. It's not just this year. We do that every year. But that those coupons create make it basically it it breaks up the the payments in a way to ensure that somebody is able to pay prior to that January 5th date. anybody needing assistance should contact our office before January 6.

Tax relief programs. Of course, we have the three state programs. And unfortunately, those debt the deadline for state programs applications is June 1st. It's actually listed on the actual state program application. Department of Social Services program, however, just opened up when bills are due. So September 1st or today should be the opening for applications for the department of social services lowincome homeowner relief program. The tax relief programs that are state programs are again of course the elderly and disabled homestead exemption, the disabled veteran exclusion and the circuit breaker elderly disabled deferment program. For the elderly disabled homestead exemption, again of course must be 65 years of age or older, total owner's income must not exceed 37,900 and excludes 25,000 or 50% of the assessed value of the permanent residence. So in this example, of course, property that's $200,000, $100,000 in regards to the assessed value of the permanent residence.

Disabled veteran exclusion disabled veteran form must be completed by Department of Veteran Affairs. Also available to the surviving spouse as long as they are not remarried excludes up to the first 45,000 of the appraised value of the permanent residence. The circuit breaker elderly disabled deferment program 65 years of age or older requires a new application every year. The only one of the three that does. The other two once you're in, you're in. The third program being a deferment program requires a new application every year. Limits the amount of annual property taxes on the permanent residence.

Tax bill is limited to a fixed percentage of income and taxes owed above that limit are deferred. Income limit up to 150% of the elderly and disabled income limit, which is the 37,900. DSS low-income homeowner relief program. Again, this program should have just started September 1st being a holiday, I would assume today. Tax assistance based upon three tier income model centered on average median income 80% first tier, 60% second tier, 30% third tier. If you qualify for 30%, it's possible that the entire tax bill is paid for you.

Focused on households with income less than or equal to 80% of the HUD area median income. I do not know exactly what that figure is. It changes every year, but I believe it's somewhere around 80,000 current tax bill only, meaning you can't use previous year tax bills. Application again should have began on September 1st. And to complete the application process, applicants need to submit proof of income, form of ID, and the current tax bill. I am ready for further questions. >>, Commissioner Burton.

>> Yes., as always, Mr. Doyle, thank you so much for your hard work and it's so appreciated. One of the questions I had and maybe this is not necessarily for you but for my colleagues is well let me just ask this question. Do you know how much the lowincome lowincome homeowner relief program how much was as accessed? like how many people applied and how much did we deplete the fund for this year? Yeah. >> So, I have not seen a report showing what the final figures were for 2425.

>> And it will be interesting to see what it's going to be for 2526. Because if you're saying the median household income in Durham County is about 80,000 I've been hearing around 76 somewhere in that range. How many people are going to access that fund for 25 26 right and we may have to look at that to adjust so we can support as many of our people as much as possible. So that's what I have. Thank you., to answer your question, I do not know what the figure was for the total, but I do know that the last time I spoke with management over that program, they were clearing 800, I believe, at that time, which was more than the previous year, I believe, for a total. So, they were moving in a way that showed we should be further than we've ever we should have gone further than we've ever gone.

Yeah, that's something that I'm really concerned about is, you know, as people because I heard from a resident on Sunday, older resident who owns their home and very concerned about the property tax and things and we want to ensure that as many of our residents are able to access it, but I'm I'm really concerned about, okay, who needs who's going to really need it this time around. So, I appreciate you so much. So, yes. Thank you. Thank you. >>, Commissioner Jacobs.

>> Yeah. Yes. Thank you. Thank you for to you and your staff for this hard work and I know this has been very difficult. A lot of people are not happy with their tax bills and we understand why., I think that it's very important for residents to understand also that not only have property tax values gone up, which is a good thing because it means that our community is economically in a good place and growing. and that when you live in a community where tax values are staying flat or declining, it's actually a bad sign economically. And so, I I think it's important for people to understand that context.

The second thing that I think is really important for our residents to know is that one of the reasons that we were not able to do a revenue neutral rate is because more and more of the burden for our schools, for social services, for infrastructure. Those things are falling on us at the local level because we are getting less funding from the state government and the federal government. And I think we're all going to have to do a lot of conversations about that because I don't think that people understand the bigger context of why their taxes are going up.

So I just I just wanted to share that. And it's unfortunately what we can see with the federal landscape is going to get worse. And we see boards of education, school systems, and local governments in North Carolina who are facing huge budget issues and funding gaps. And again, it's because we're not seeing the funding coming from other places. And these are things that we have to keep funding for our community. So, I feel for you, Mr. Doyle, because a lot of that frustration falls directly on you and your staff. And so, I just wanted to put that out there that there are bigger issues that are happening.

That are not your responsibility. So, thank you. and I agree with what Commissioner Burton said. It would be great deputy manager if we could ask the DSS staff to provide us a year-end report on how much money was spent and you know the number of applicants and then the number of approved applications. >> >> I I took note of that. We'll certainly follow up with you on that. >> Yeah., and I agree. I actually have written that down too, that we'll have to keep track and see whether we have to allocate more funding as the year goes.

The good news is I'm so grateful that we have something to offer residents in Durham County. We're actually one of, I think, only maybe one or two other counties in North Carolina that offer this program. So I think it's it's I'm really grateful to our board for for funding this and I want to thank you Mr. Doyle because the information that you put in the tax bills was excellent. I mean, there was a whole flyer about the lowincome homeowner relief program and also the other programs and also the the form that you could use for paying your taxes in increments in in the bills. So, I think one thing we could look at is Deputy Manager Jones is partnering with the city on promoting the lowincome homeowner relief program in the water bills because between the water bills and just that's the only thing I mean it does it's not going to go to everyone.

It won't go to county residents, but we don't really have a lot of opportunities for the county to do countywide mailings, but at least the city does do those water bills. So, I think >> we could certainly check in with you. >> Okay. And they are a partner with us in the program. They help fund it. So, >> absolutely. >> Yeah. >> thank you so much. Thank you, >> Commissioner Val. >> Yes., thank you, Madam Chair. Mr. Doyle, thank you for your presentation here today. And I just want to probably echo some of the sentiments that have already been provided with respect to this board's concern with our long-term residents and and their ability to be able to remain in their homes u which is a goal that I think we all share.

Mr. Doyle, this has been a a tough road with the evaluation but your willingness to be and remain accessible to our residents has been remarkable. So, thank you to you and your staff and, the aggressive plan that you you you mentioned with regards to the appeals, December 1st, that is quite aggressive., but I'm hoping that, you're able to meet that goal, because I think that, fighting for our residents is, is is required at this, particular moment., so thank you. >> Thank you.

>> Okay. No, I just want to say, you know, so everyone who owns a home is affected by this here in Durham. I got mine. My heart skipped a beat, >> but I just appreciate your consistency. All right. And as a new commissioner seeing that from this side of the dis has been very impressive. Your staff, your your communication, how you all get that information out there and you you know people were upset and you all with this very consistent voice said, "Okay, let me see what we can do. Let's help. Let's see what let's explain how this works."

All of that has just been so very consistent. And even in that moment of looking at the tax bill, I had to go back to that consistency and this is just a this is how it works. This is there's no one personally profiting from this. There's not anything like that. This is this is a state mandate that we do. We have to do this regularly. And so I just wanna I just want you and your staff, I just want to just call out your consistency and the continual openness to talk to people. When people came to the for.

Public comment, you all always said, "Hey, look, we'll reach out to you here. Here's how you contact me. I've seen you in the gallery." You know, go over to those people who spoke and say, "Hey, look, here's how you contact us. Let's let's talk about this even on social media and all this kind of thing." So, I just appreciate your consistency on this and I just it's tipped my hat because it's not an easy job. You know, whenever people contact you, it's not the it's not about happiness, right? It is there's always a problem.

You know, it's like a do any er doctor, right? People don't go to ER doctor just to say, "Hey, how you doing? Just hanging out." There's always there it's always a really bad problem. And so the the way that you all have been able to handle this has just been excellent. So I just wanted to give you all a shout out on that. >> Thank you. I know I'm sorry for missing your presentation, but we've been in communication a lot lately with the conversations that the community are having, and I've just been really appreciative of the way that you've been also responsive to us when we receive questions from residents of making sure that we have the most accurate information. And I was just talking to Deputy County Manager Jones before the meeting started, one of my new Reddit friends from the post that we've talked about., I actually learned that from them that he had like great things to say about you and your office. They are.

A group of like the Watts Hill Andddale community members as well as like the neighboring communities that have all come together to provide education to their neighbors about the different tax relief programs that we offer that the state offers., and they said that your team has been really supportive of that. And I was talking to Deputy County Manager Jones that they have a meeting coming up that they invited me to. I think it's going to be in September. I'm going to pass along the information to you for something someone from your team wants to go to. I'm going to join them that they've been basically having workshops where their HOAs of just sitting down with their neighbors and helping them through the application processes., and I think it'd be really great for us to also look at, obviously, y'all are at capacity right now, but how we as commissioners can also look at that model and maybe connect these folks to other HOAs across Durham that they can help support our.

Neighbors and make sure that they have the information in the pamphlets like that y'all have already produced., because I, as Vice Chair Dr. Lee said, this is impacting is actually not impacting just every homeowner. It's also impacting renters because when a landlord gets their new property tax value, they're going to pass it along to the renters. So, we got to make sure that our renting community also knows why their rent is likely going to be impacted. So, thank you so much. And thank you also not for just being reactive to the reevaluation like in the responses post.

I'd say I was surprised with like, you know, the amount of appeals we've gotten. Not because it was high. I was actually expecting a lot more with how many years it's been since our last one. And the fact that it's it wasn't that high is because of all of the pre-education that you and your team have been doing before the tax bills went out., which I think really made a difference that we were almost at the same number or like same percentage of appeals as we were when we last did a reevaluation is really impressive.

>> Close. >> Yeah, close., we exceeded it. We exceeded it, but like you said, we have more parcels, so that percentage is not drastically different., >> but by number, we've definitely seen more appeals this time than we've ever seen. Yeah, but relative to our growth, it's really impressive. >> Thank you. So, Commissioner Burton. >> Yeah. In that in about the number of parcels and you share this information with us. How many residential parcels do we have versus commercial if you can remember off the top of your head?

>> I can't cuz it changes so much. But I'll definitely get a number for you. >> Yeah, I'll appreciate that. I remember you sharing that with us and I knew we had like a whole bunch of residential. So, >> right. is mostly by far residential. Yeah. Very small percentage of improved commercial property. That's less than 6,000. >> Yeah. >> That reminded me of another question. We talked about this about the way that corporate or business properties are taxed is also that the calculation that the state has is based on their income that they're generating. if they're like vacant and stuff. But I was wondering if does that also apply to farmland like if >> a farmer we because we had the farmland advisory boards present to us if there are farmers who aren't generating as much revenue or not able to generate as much crop. do they get taxed based off of like their revenue or do they get just tax based on their land? There are there are foreign programs but for the.

Most part we're dealing with it's two separate things. So commercial property commercial property because of income they do receive all three approaches to value just as residential properties do. But the income approach isn't used on a residential property because they aren't producing income. We use all three approaches to value no matter what. It's just that one just happens not to apply to residential property. For commercial, it does apply. So, they have two values that are focused on we're going to get a sales comparison approach value, a cost approach value, and an income value.

We're going to do that. We're going to do that for all all properties. Commercial properties tend to appeal based on which one is more favorable to them in that arena just as they go to the bank with whichever one is more favorable to them when they're trying to get a loan. So, it's it's just the same thing. I'mma I'mma go to the bank showing how much money I I'm worth and how much I make. It's going to be worth if worth is better than my income.

But when it comes to a property tax appeal, I'd rather show smaller value. So I'mma appeal based on my income approach, my income value. So the commercial the commercial office has a very hard job because they know that they're putting they're assigning a value, but they know there's a possibility of an appeal based off of another value. And the best thing they can do is get data from the market that shows them what the market values are from the income side of things.

Most of the times a business still has their actual income value to counter or to argue their stance from. We don't have their value or their income data until they give it to us, which unfortunately is usually not until the appeal occurs. So, we're using market data prior to that. So, that's the little little caveat that commercial properties and it's not just commercial business owners, it's also landlords like you and me, whoever owns a income property can choose the same argument when they have a value that they're trying to argue. Duplex owners, triplex owners, apartment building owners, they all do the same. It's the same issue. I have a sales value or a cost value or income value. Which one better serves my argument for this appeal? In a strong market, those values are very close together., we're not in a strong market as such with commercial properties due to remote work, vacancy rates, things like that are playing into the commercial sector that we don't really see in some of the other sectors.

And sorry for that long answer because that was a short question, but >> that was really helpful. Thank you. Wonderful. Well, thank you so much. I'm sure you we will continue to be emailing you and having conversations. I appreciate everything. >> No problem. Thank you.

>> With that, that concludes our work session. Thank you everyone. We are adjourned and then we have agenda prep following now. And I believe there's lunch.