[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6569168,"mediaKeyId","3192497-75bb56808824d0c5272c39b4ad794b70","parentId",3192497,"title","County stormwater update: utility, retrofits and community outreach","audioSeconds",62,"startMs",6538000,"endMs",6600000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3192497-75bb56808824d0c5272c39b4ad794b70&start=6538&end=6600","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3192497-75bb56808824d0c5272c39b4ad794b70/thumbnail_6538000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6569168/Durham-County/North-Carolina/County-stormwater-update-utility-retrofits-and-community-outreach","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6569168-f0228685ba74cfc546b5fcc1df1b2aef/orig.mp4?Expires=1777113978&Signature=WSzRkbnbVIzD8iQMb0~ZbMyBbmnMZKF00T2gDa7uklmAkTbprVvWfxYI4ela-4VzpukXIW5JKghQMhNyeO~Vv-RmZljJJtkDiuCy7yP9W2VyJgfLmaPvWcabnZfvs-gqtuDtKbDLRrEKkg6ha-1UbFrNDWtOb440UISdGRI~2J4TVqecY841HGNv~Y6q0jL3bUX3i2tS9AyrlaCzWoNtfL1d7Jq835IOqTJqdXoRxkL~X9pwJhLCeusbeiZoeMa0-FFZEhsIaTMHSK2JT4QkueKxw5tQeBqZ~22DoiuczS1Qsr3lbLd7t1o8aRaI4eCHktY1c2zXKSZsIZaYOcQO3A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Durham County","date","2025-05-05T18:48:12.687Z","article","Durham County engineering and stormwater staff briefed the Board of Commissioners on nutrient strategy obligations, the stormwater utility and recent projects and outreach on May 5.

Ryan Eaves, division manager for stormwater and erosion control, described three watershed regulatory programs that affect the county — the Neuse River Basin nutrient strategy, Falls Lake rules and Jordan Lake rules — and said Falls Stage 1 compliance costs are currently managed under an interim alternative implementation approach (IAI). Eaves told the board Falls IAI compliance costs for the county are approximately $666,000 over five years and said stage‑2 rule readoption remains pending at the state level.

On funding, staff noted the county adopted a stormwater utility in FY21 that bills county‑only parcels (about 15,000 parcels outside the city) and uses a tiered ERU structure; current fee guidance cited in the presentation equates to about $80 per ERU. Eaves said a 2024 state law exempting bona fide farm properties from stormwater utility fees reduced FY25 revenue by roughly $250,000 for the county.

Project highlights: staff completed a bioretention retrofit at Neil Middle School (approximately $450,000, partly grant‑funded) and showed renderings for a Whispering Pines mobile home park stream restoration and bioretention project (estimated cost about $2.1 million), for which the county has procured several grants and aims to cover part of the cost with stormwater utility funding. The county is also starting a Southeastern Watershed Improvement Plan that covers about 33 square miles and will inventory project needs and land acquisition priorities.

Outreach and education: staff introduced a new stormwater hotline and said the county has significantly expanded outreach since hiring a stormwater education specialist. Ellie Kinsey, stormwater education specialist, listed 13 events January–April 2025 and said staff reached about 1,322 people in that period and produced onsite signage, school outreach, Creek Week events and an upcoming open house tied to the Neil Middle School site.

Next steps: staff will continue project design, pursue grants and coordinate with Cooperative Extension and Durham Public Schools on education and candidate sites; commissioners asked staff to continue prioritizing erosion control enforcement and contractor education in development hotspots such as Southeast Durham.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Durham BOCC Work Session May 5th, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","County stormwater staff summarized nutrient‑strategy obligations, the stormwater utility, completed and planned retrofit projects and an expanded education program; Neil Middle School bioretention is complete and Whispering Pines stream restoration is in design.","taxTitle","Durham County, North Carolina","taxId",5765,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6569173,"Final FY26 Durham transit work program advances service increases; tracker launched",1313,15277000,16590000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3192497-75bb56808824d0c5272c39b4ad794b70&start=15277&end=16590","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3192497-75bb56808824d0c5272c39b4ad794b70/thumbnail_15277000.jpg","/articles/6569173/Durham-County/North-Carolina/Final-FY26-Durham-transit-work-program-advances-service-increases-tracker-launched","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6569173-9481466c28206a33e9486d2e3238008d/orig.mp4?Expires=1777113978&Signature=J4nlJi00xgJ8YnrcRQ~cUv~qr-XGhd7sDBnBEabhPljwMQFCzGdpgZi937yhxXzowiPqpgAsdszJgJdG48lGWiNgYcNMnxcCnT~fK949I94uTH-LHrCuhXt8VV25noNgKgxOL-Qxr4ZmFzmFM-96SxhjjzGRcUSeOj3B6xlCxLit3pBbdtDi2a8KelZCnZYChVf5GZfKFiRD-yrXwBZH8BCnhIsVmyBYBqBVQypu4V2~p0MzOoXMKKkmq7zvOnwW02N8Gp8Ig3yJtYxQoD-49Vr3i554kk8FFtCXfAa8torDyx0PceOhCXJq4vFp-xlodr2pvhmz2EOsgHgMScDVnA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Durham County and GoTriangle staff presented the final recommended fiscal year 2026 Durham Transit Work Program on May 5, describing service expansions, capital schedule adjustments and a new public “Durham Transit Tracker” for project transparency.

Highlights and revisions: staff reported a $7.6 million annual increase in service operating requests compared with the earlier draft; that included a $4.0 million increase specifically tied to future service improvements on GoDurham Routes 4 and 9. County staff said some capital projects were delayed or deferred, including a $3.75 million construction element for a bus maintenance facility (Face Street) that was shifted from FY26 to FY27. GoTriangle consolidated tax‑district administration staff into a standalone unit (a reorganization) that changed how some budgets are presented but produced a small net savings in the FY26 package.

Financial context and risks: staff noted federal grant availability and local revenue growth assumptions are uncertain; the model now assumes sales‑tax growth of 6% (reduced from the 8% assumed in the prior year). Staff said the program projects a low‑point fund balance in 2035 of about $22 million, above the adopted minimum ($10 million). The recommended program reduces planned transfers from fund balance in FY26 to about $8.5 million, down from a draft projection of $15.2 million, primarily by shifting capital schedules.

Service and public input: the work program funds additional GoDurham and GoTriangle service, microtransit adjustments and the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) development program. GoDurham staff highlighted ongoing planning for a Central Durham BRT corridor and work with NCDOT and FTA. Public engagement yielded 64 survey respondents and three staffed outreach events at Durham Station; staff reported strong support among respondents for continuing fare‑free pilots and for advancing BRT planning.

Transparency tools: staff launched the Durham Transit Tracker, a public dashboard that presents project status, financials and key metrics for plan‑funded projects. Transportation planners said the tracker will be updated twice a year and will be enhanced with contextual targets (for example, stops completed vs. goal) in future updates.

Next steps: the staff working group recommended the final program for the governing boards’ consideration; commissioners asked technical questions about timeline and service equity and requested additional context around tracker metrics and countywide impacts. No formal board appropriation was recorded in the May 5 meeting transcript; budget allocations will follow statutory adoption processes and any required board votes in subsequent public sessions.","Staff presented a revised FY26 transit work program that accelerates service improvements, funds GoDurham frequency increases and launches a public Transit Tracker; changes include a $7.6 million annual service budget increase and several capital timing adjustments.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6569179,"Durham presents Farm Campus feasibility study; county purchased Orange Factory Road property",1419,12980000,14399000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3192497-75bb56808824d0c5272c39b4ad794b70&start=12980&end=14399","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3192497-75bb56808824d0c5272c39b4ad794b70/thumbnail_12980000.jpg","/articles/6569179/Durham-County/North-Carolina/Durham-presents-Farm-Campus-feasibility-study-county-purchased-Orange-Factory-Road-property","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6569179-201a6dee0b79e0436053e1757262c474/orig.mp4?Expires=1777113978&Signature=RMHyzTfL8ZyEQY7Ltaz5Y3U4-GTzUb3f2vR7Yi6VfSU0wsElHsfd2BGJT4kIl5J0svr0HVYTay4ofL7K6a52Mg9DhxczMxukkq02HLcN1I5UUR9sWxvl1~Kx0OEL-HnX-S6G~sNNUlZLPCNl~JAUj1Sl9fkYg5pF6SFaShgMtye8SVKaHlppxzr28LVx~uadg41zX4Tq17T9YOg2BxRrQl3q2Ps3Q~Um0zPK7EcmA9Vx4RcEaKIuNo0C0i~KXtw0mRxQNxwbHpi2~kmmRrGNqkcLiTDRQvPBC1EtWGkJLufHdXDqQamSoWwmMlVkh3DkUpuXXWcUBsa4BVI34TnMBw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Durham County Cooperative Extension and consultants presented the final feasibility study for the Durham County Farm Campus on May 5, summarizing program goals, site characteristics, a phased buildout and a preliminary 10‑year operating budget.

County Extension director Donna Rewalt introduced the project and said the county has acquired roughly 129 acres on Orange Factory Road for the campus. Derek Fleming of HR&A Advisors walked commissioners through a three‑phase implementation timeline: a Year‑0 “preparation and activation” stage focused on site readiness, community activations and initial governance; Years 1–3 to establish basic public access, temporary infrastructure, an incubator farm program and education partnerships; Years 4–6 to expand programming and physical infrastructure; and Years 7–10 for full buildout with shared kitchen space, teaching facilities and a healing garden.

Key site and program details: the campus will host an incubator farm program for beginning growers, shared post‑harvest/teaching kitchen space, and education and outreach tied to Cooperative Extension and local schools. Study authors recommended a governance structure that centers Cooperative Extension, a steering committee of farmers and community leaders, and technical partners. The feasibility presentation included a sample operating budget phased over 10 years and suggested an initial small staff core (farm manager, caretaker and related part‑time support) with the option to expand as earned revenue and grants grow.

Capital and near‑term projects identified during the meeting: Cooperative Extension staff described two stormwater/green infrastructure projects linked to the farm campus conversation — a completed Neil Middle School bioretention retrofit (about $450,000) and a Whispering Pines stream restoration and bioretention project in design with an estimated construction cost of about $2.1 million; the latter has secured multiple grants and expects more than $1 million in outside funding. The farm campus consultants recommended beginning with one full‑time farm manager to coordinate programs and low‑cost activations while pursuing philanthropic and federal funding.

Next steps: the feasibility report and recommended governance/operating plans will be integrated into capital planning; staff recommended forming a steering committee, recruiting a farm manager and pursuing grants and private philanthropy. County staff said they will continue coordination with Durham Public Schools, Cooperative Extension partners and community organizations before bringing capital requests forward for formal CIP consideration.","A feasibility study lays out a phased plan and 10‑year operating model for a Durham County Farm Campus; the county has purchased ~129 acres on Orange Factory Road and staff recommended hiring a farm manager and pursuing grants and partnerships.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6569184,"Durham’s HEART program outlines crisis‑response model and countywide scaling steps",3906,3044000,6950000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3192497-75bb56808824d0c5272c39b4ad794b70&start=3044&end=6950","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3192497-75bb56808824d0c5272c39b4ad794b70/thumbnail_3044000.jpg","/articles/6569184/Durham-County/North-Carolina/Durhams-HEART-program-outlines-crisisresponse-model-and-countywide-scaling-steps","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6569184-f79465f2982a450687b8bae1ef4924ec/orig.mp4?Expires=1777113978&Signature=Ix6ZrS8wfTuZS8QqnXRNyuY2zVRWrpT4uAYjZ-NXQ6l0RQAaw7vJuCl4VlHgGQkzVn54SUwFFL7SZFcelWZWFiZCIfl4VJVJuth~I~ZXLGQFAUz8qgtmO0IKhutpRzC4GFAxh7q3Py8jPIQylvfe4rIzOJSmk8kCIYfNoZ75HMYxs7gXflxVu4ggyEDPl8RbpdcVBzS-JML8EInSayjJg5ph3QENxpdOio1xv9A2g52cNDE5aflTQW~0tLE0Frk2VlxKqso9IylqI62OVxRUVJZMauM6ZImXb--~yxwPr1LT8iTfdqsCoSZpPexhPwjWkZQuyQjW2XX9KqwkWMxDFw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Ryan Smith, director of the City of Durham’s Community Safety Department, updated the Durham County Board of Commissioners on HEART — the city’s community safety program — describing its four components and data from the program’s first 2½ years.

Smith said HEART embeds licensed clinicians in the 9‑1‑1 call center for phone‑based crisis call diversion; operates community response teams (licensed social workers, peer specialists and EMTs) for in‑person responses to non‑violent behavioral health calls; fields co‑response units that pair clinicians with CIT‑trained officers for higher‑risk calls; and runs post‑call care navigation that follows up within 48–72 hours. He described HEART as a “four‑part” system that aims to connect people to appropriate care and reported that community response teams had answered more than 14,000 calls in roughly 2½ years.

Smith summarized key safety and operational metrics: community response units request emergent police backup on a very small fraction of calls (Smith cited about 0.4%); responder self‑reported safety scores are above 99% after calls; average response time for community teams is roughly 12 minutes on non‑lights‑and‑siren responses; and HEART has freed thousands of hours of police time by handling eligible calls. Smith also cited internal analyses showing HEART responses are associated with higher rates of voluntary transport to the Durham Recovery and Response Center and with lower arrest rates on eligible calls.

County officials discussed whether and how to expand HEART countywide. Dwayne Brinson, assistant county manager, said county staff and the sheriff’s office are preparing an RFQ to engage a consultant to evaluate how the county’s 9‑1‑1 system and the sheriff’s dispatch could integrate or coordinate with HEART. Sheriff Mike Birkhead said he is open to continued conversations and to review data. Commissioners asked for data on county call volumes and piloting options; Vice Chair Mike Lee and others urged a joint, data‑driven pilot involving Durham Emergency Communications Center, Durham Sheriff’s Office and HEART staff.

Smith repeatedly emphasized training, data and deliberative rollout. He said HEART’s design drew on RTI International analyses of 9‑1‑1 call types, comparison with other cities and months of local stakeholder engagement, and that external evaluations (RTI, Duke/Cook Center, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation) are underway. He invited commissioners to visit the program’s dashboard and said the program aims to be transparent and evaluative as it scales.","The City of Durham’s Community Safety Department presented a multi‑part crisis response model — crisis call diversion, community response, co‑response and care navigation — and commissioners discussed countywide expansion options while staff proposed an RFQ to assess 9‑1‑1 integration.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6569189,"Urban Ministries seeks $3 million for predevelopment of collaborative homeless services center",1695,2532000,4227000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3192497-75bb56808824d0c5272c39b4ad794b70&start=2532&end=4227","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3192497-75bb56808824d0c5272c39b4ad794b70/thumbnail_2532000.jpg","/articles/6569189/Durham-County/North-Carolina/Urban-Ministries-seeks-3-million-for-predevelopment-of-collaborative-homeless-services-center","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6569189-69d385225900c43b26b1f5d26dacc9ed/orig.mp4?Expires=1777113978&Signature=Pi1Dmc1NG5o6WzJb-fqOOPBdmaiC1uWM1P67-Uvss6sglIw-ikBRsnuDlqB0n~RZUUO8ld1ucrt2AgGBrtZCa0SaFD~6OxyEXmM8cQqNiBAJ~S--3uacsaS5Ws9kUrAs6QcQTrgrZ-DB26XwjODDfxamKYQqNEI7YHg4DqjEM5qJqcW3CYo39Y5753KDmFH4lbuSFCfhGF2zQiM1KOQ5zoONNOnT7Z4ACcCbGWBnNRFnep-aHeoR0oRcO1Sw0Nk4ABNdD5NbnGU2xpveXTNLE7SO~nHgUEd9poAepE07tu~Ga6-QgJND05dH6B-DTIUR8AY3OYb7i1mAuxZsoqoPow__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Urban Ministries asked Durham County on May 5 to help fund predevelopment and initial design for a proposed collaborative homeless services center on St. Philip’s Episcopal Church property, asking the county to allocate $3 million while the nonprofit and its partners pursue grants and private fundraising.

The proposal, delivered by Sheldon Mitchell, executive director of Urban Ministries, described a multi-use, trauma‑informed facility intended to provide noncongregate shelter for up to 300 people, expanded day services, on-site clinic space, and consolidated access to food, clothing, and case management. Mitchell said Urban Ministries already provides emergency shelter, food services and a resource center that served more than 6,000 people last year and that the organization hopes a purpose‑built campus would reduce returns to homelessness and local public costs.

Mitchell said Urban Ministries housed 588 individuals in emergency shelter last year, with 300 positive exits and 95 of those exits leading to permanent housing. He told the board Urban Ministries’ county funding typically represents about 10% of its operating budget and that the group’s FY26 request would represent roughly 16% of its projected budget for the year. “We are asking you to prioritize this project and allocate $3,000,000 to support the predevelopment costs and the initial design phase so that we can move forward with urgency,” Mitchell said during the presentation.

Why the county might consider it: presenters argued that a single-site, collaborative model would improve outcomes — shorter shelter stays, higher housing readiness and reduced criminal justice and emergency health costs — and pointed to a feasibility study and a community fundraising feasibility assessment that showed potential to raise $10–12 million locally if substantial public funding were pledged. The St. Philip site is already committed by the church, which Urban Ministries described as a major in‑kind contribution.

What the county heard from commissioners: commissioners expressed interest and a desire to coordinate with existing initiatives. Vice Chair Mike Lee and others urged the presenters to provide a firmer breakdown of the $3 million request, to confirm how city and county funding would be shared for capital and operating costs, and to identify short‑term pilot options that could launch before a permanent facility is built. Commissioner Nida Allam (chair) and others noted the county manager has already included the project as a line item in the county’s capital improvement planning materials.

Next steps: Urban Ministries’ presentation functions as a formal request; the board did not vote on the funding allocation during the May 5 meeting. County staff indicated the request has been included in the county capital improvement plan as a line item for further consideration during budget deliberations. Urban Ministries said it will continue design work, private fundraising and coordination with the city and other partners.","Urban Ministries presented a feasibility-backed plan for a new multi-service homeless services center on St. Philip’s property, requesting $3 million in county support for predevelopment and initial design while outlining a capital campaign and partnership strategy.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

County stormwater update: utility, retrofits and community outreach

Final FY26 Durham transit work program advances service increases; tracker launched

Durham presents Farm Campus feasibility study; county purchased Orange Factory Road property

Durham’s HEART program outlines crisis‑response model and countywide scaling steps

Urban Ministries seeks $3 million for predevelopment of collaborative homeless services center