Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Craven County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
12 issues in public safety
Trillium Health Resources Annual Report
Trillium manages behavioral health, intellectual/developmental disability, and substance use services for Craven County residents — over 4,000 county members were served in the last fiscal year. The report covers service spending, the new Children and Families Specialty Plan, and how to access services.
NCDOI Grant Match for Fire Departments
Six Craven County volunteer fire departments got state NCDOI grants and the county's $418,558 match, buying turnout gear, air packs, radios, extrication tools and pagers. Commissioners noted this keeps fire tax increases down.
Abandoned property concerns in James City
An 82-year-old James City resident, speaking through her niece, asked for help with a neighboring abandoned house that's collapsing onto her property, drawing rodents and snakes. Commissioners agreed to follow up.
Foster Care and Adoption Placement Needs
A local behavioral health provider told commissioners children are sleeping in DSS offices and foster homes are scarce; she asked the county to opt into the special children's adoption incentive fund and support a family reunification program.
Medicaid Expansion Administrative Mandates and Staffing
New federal and state rules require Craven County Social Services to handle much tighter work requirements, frequent eligibility reviews, and verification checks. To prevent penalties and backpay, the board approved 13 new positions and computer equipment costing $622,880, which is fully covered by state and federal funding.
Animal Shelter Spay/Neuter and TNR Funding
Residents advocated for using recent animal shelter donations to establish a low-cost spay and neuter program for owned animals and dedicated trap-neuter-return funding for community cats. Commissioners noted the topic will be discussed at an upcoming work session.
COSSUP Grant Rollover for Substance Abuse Services
The county is exploring a partnership with Southeastern Integrated Care to expand local mental health treatment, residential recovery housing, and jail diversion bed capacity.
Sheriff's Office Forensic Van Purchase
The Sheriff's Office received a generous $20,000 donation from a private citizen to help buy a new forensic van for the crime lab. Existing vehicles were too small to carry all necessary equipment, and using donation money saves taxpayers cash.
Animal Shelter Estate Donation and Future Use
The animal shelter received a massive $655,147 estate donation from Shirley Callahan, which the board transferred into a capital reserve fund. Commissioners also discussed potential future uses, including funding for a Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) program.
On-Call Compensation Policies for County Staff
The county adopted a new IT on-call policy and updated maintenance on-call pay rates to match water department standards, providing structured after-hours compensation.
Jail Overcrowding and Inmate Medical Costs
The county jail is currently operating about 100 inmates over capacity, driving up required medical spending and prompting a $200,000 budget amendment. Commissioners discussed future facility expansion needs and the ongoing challenge of housing state and local offenders.
Juvenile Crime Prevention Council FY27 Funding Plan
The JCPC requested level funding of $320,335 for local youth programs, which the commissioners unanimously approved.