[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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],{"_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",6569254,"mediaKeyId","3191476-ae1d6d1fd5b0af7ebb5328fa6f00e06e","parentId",3191476,"title","Commissioners direct staff to review county‑funded trainings and library funding amid budget planning","audioSeconds",2828,"startMs",3369000,"endMs",6197000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3191476-ae1d6d1fd5b0af7ebb5328fa6f00e06e&start=3369&end=6197","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3191476-ae1d6d1fd5b0af7ebb5328fa6f00e06e/thumbnail_3369000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6569254/Alamance-County/North-Carolina/Commissioners-direct-staff-to-review-countyfunded-trainings-and-library-funding-amid-budget-planning","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6569254-6e5e9dff39175bc83707312aad6dfe58/orig.mp4?Expires=1771135134&Signature=eZosA0kwKCHJvfcTcIeAFldZNefrolABClU59gOzJW0hTs7mGqdFMoPmouf063CHeduV3m7YdBSaKJzDJl6MWBLGNgIjSwcjoluAAKG3GfZYva3p2KFGn-m5ilNtA6vMguoAUHgq2gfykDxVJnbGP9SEGNjz9IU~6x6NZ5oQfit7Xsb2mLm5eTU8hWnnRv7gnIzflvFLFkur2nhu5Nz0HQwtTkCMU~H1xVS-q3ghUhoV0sS7P-QFUq9SM8QjUl~RyXNdamvRkDjt614hixXAkOTp8psQXArCBnOcV9o6~usgcpaGzrm4gFOeifLeK8ubVBDPFJJctVP3Gz8XMZiMTg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Alamance County, NC","date","2025-05-05T15:42:21.27Z","article","Commissioner Stevens asked the board during commissioner comments that county employees not use county time or county resources for training not directly tied to their job duties, specifically citing training offered by the Alamance County Racial Equity Committee (ACRE). Stevens said the county should prohibit \"training other than related to their function\" on county time and asked staff to draft employee‑handbook language and budget guidance.

Stevens described multiple 12‑week cohorts run by ACRE and said participants included senior managers who used work hours for sessions that run mornings into the afternoon. \"County employees should not be taking training other than related to their function, to their job description,\" he said.

County Manager Heidi York said staff would investigate how the trainings are funded and whether grants or other requirements apply. York said it may be appropriate to distinguish trainings paid or required by grants from voluntary trainings using county time. Commissioners discussed whether a formal resolution is needed; the county attorney advised that board rules discourage motions during commissioner comments but do not forbid them and that staff could draft a resolution for the next agenda.

Separately, Commissioner Stevens asked county staff to study options to phase out the county's contribution to the county library system, which he said totals roughly $3.5 million and supports four libraries and two mobile units. He suggested returning library funding to municipalities via a phased approach and asked the county manager to include options in budget planning. Other commissioners cautioned that rural residents rely on county library services and that any change would shift cost and access; no formal vote was taken.

Why it matters: both items bear on the county's coming budget decisions. Commissioners asked the county manager to include reviews of training policies and library funding in the budget planning process ahead of June budget adoption.

Outcome and next steps: commissioners agreed to direct the county manager and staff to investigate funding sources, grant conditions and the extent to which county employees attend the trainings during work hours; staff will report back and the board may consider a drafted resolution at a future meeting. The county manager also will provide options regarding the library funding relationship for the board's upcoming budget work sessions.

Ending: Commissioners asked staff for careful study of both matters and signaled an intent to consider formal policy language or a resolution at a future meeting once staff reports are available.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","May 5, 2025 Commissioners Meeting Live Stream","oneSentenceSummary","Commissioner Stevens asked the Alamance County Board of Commissioners to prohibit county‑paid training unrelated to employees’ job duties and urged staff to research phasing out the county’s roughly $3.5 million contribution to the county library system.","taxTitle","Alamance County, North Carolina","taxId",3670,"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},6569260,"Resident questions $330,000 courthouse change order; county staff say it is covered by $37 million contract",259,1231000,1490000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3191476-ae1d6d1fd5b0af7ebb5328fa6f00e06e&start=1231&end=1490","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3191476-ae1d6d1fd5b0af7ebb5328fa6f00e06e/thumbnail_1231000.jpg","/articles/6569260/Alamance-County/North-Carolina/Resident-questions-330000-courthouse-change-order-county-staff-say-it-is-covered-by-37-million-contract","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6569260-15db5f11982c848a91cad00e0c7b76d6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771135134&Signature=RysELMIk4i-2EbGltWaUFN2EcPf9ywKzj3tdveVgduWPX6tynf1rMtDdvPu99V2egWVP0N9B9EluG03FG42U5e-QzE74KSWzUBvsnYiD2arN~jstHSFheEv95y6EkGrQLqSRpcybIQsxoFnScavJ-loPjYXIvF-9ECK68iTx2x~hVap1eFvr5lt9-LnrMqFA8oX37bC1lt5hSZ-gfixVwb2jr~4fF6gIG8QzDxe3lmJFMrf4oiqIC0Lba0KmWOuvaQeCy0Jppr5FYQfCZwb8M9QUxFxDzyoNTVvUiY1xpWZTPjxRg4I~gGy5ZYBWuKWnPIXrBtQXnCaFxNbMcmXaIg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Resident Henry Vines asked the Alamance County Board of Commissioners during public comment whether a recent $330,000 change order on the courthouse project would increase the $37 million contract ceiling and how the project budget is being allocated between a new courthouse and a park.

\"If this is gonna increase the design by 330,000, how much is this gonna increase the total project?\" Vines asked, noting taxpayers were already told the project would raise property taxes by about one cent to cover $37 million.

A county official responded that the contract revision is \"not to exceed $37,000,000\" and that any change over $100,000 must be approved by the commissioners. Steve Baker, speaking for staff, said the county is still in the design phase and that the $37 million figure was an estimate provided by the architects. \"We are fairly certain we can bring this building back under $37,000,000,\" Baker said, adding that detailed line‑item budgets and furnishings would be provided as design work advances.

Why it matters: the public asked for transparency on budget line items and the potential for cost escalation. Commissioners and staff agreed to provide more detailed itemization as architects refine the project design.

Supporting details: Vines asked whether parking had been secured and how that cost would affect the total project. Commissioners said the board must approve any change orders over $100,000. Another commissioner noted that furnishings were not included in the current design estimate and could add to final costs.

Ending: County staff said more detailed budget information would be provided as the design advances and that the presented change order did not add to the previously approved $37 million contract ceiling.","A resident raised concerns about a $330,000 change order on the county courthouse project and whether it increases the $37 million contract cap; county staff responded that the change order is part of the approved $37 million figure and not an addition.",{"_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},6569264,"Alamance County sheriff details drug seizures, gang activity and staffing shortfalls in annual briefing",3619,1762000,5381000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3191476-ae1d6d1fd5b0af7ebb5328fa6f00e06e&start=1762&end=5381","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3191476-ae1d6d1fd5b0af7ebb5328fa6f00e06e/thumbnail_1762000.jpg","/articles/6569264/Alamance-County/North-Carolina/Alamance-County-sheriff-details-drug-seizures-gang-activity-and-staffing-shortfalls-in-annual-briefing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6569264-996048b24ed259562e53e341f70b7887/orig.mp4?Expires=1771135134&Signature=fK5oFFlS2VCJUjTFSoOVmuaC5KV~h3vXga8cXUvXuFB9g3iS6oMLptKjjYIw4Ft6kNILVU38EX8gbZTUddR1nZ48foVivHga7snbu1dCfFhHORpFXuENKys0UiYgSYOR0hHA1xAlLRLaPtP9L2usBoD74b4b6ym-ibpOEGBG6Us5DZELD8ipp09ABB82eTtEmrzybc5idLZar64Es4kr6t9BUMKJxQwDs9o3Dffl6EDqMmx2NB17~hA8P5dq51OjaNJu9Jl5sU93pw-q2Ep7MzXqI8CALYbwmnYDWPW7S9jm9V2wfzrPVruivRY571ij-5Lw2HPT5~~HwAk-zX13Hw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sheriff Terry Johnson told the Alamance County Board of Commissioners at the board's May meeting that his office responded to roughly 89,018 calls in 2024 and is confronting increased drug trafficking, gang activity and staffing shortages.

The sheriff said the county's patrol and special units are stretched: deputies drove about 1,132,000 miles last year, the office handled about 4,972 traffic stops and patrol answered, on average, 243.8 calls per day in 2024. Johnson said his office logged 29 vehicle pursuits during 2024 and had already recorded 15 high‑speed pursuits in 2025.

\"If they run from an officer first time, they go run from the officer second time, somebody's gonna get killed,\" Sheriff Johnson said, describing a five‑minute/ five‑mile limit his office uses to end pursuits and the use of pursuit‑intervention training to reduce harm.

Why it matters: the sheriff framed Alamance County as an attractive route for traffickers because of I‑85 and I‑40, saying cartels use secondary routes to move drugs once they ‘drop a load’ in the region. He described coordinated work with federal partners — DEA, FBI, ATF, U.S. Marshals and task forces — and said those partnerships have produced seizures and federal prosecutions.

Key details and evidence: Johnson said the county's ANNET narcotics enforcement team and federal task forces seized multiple kilograms of cocaine and other drugs during enforcement operations; a handout shown during the presentation listed one seizure as 18,734 grams (about 16.7 kg) of cocaine. He also described recent vehicle stops that produced firearms, including several weapons converted to fully automatic. \"We seized 6 firearms that were possessed illegally either by convicted felons or used in another crime,\" he said of one recent weekend operation.

The sheriff highlighted gang investigations and arrests tied to a local group he called the \"Bridal Life\" gang (described in the presentation as an offshoot associated with larger gang networks), and he named MS‑13, Bloods, and a Venezuelan group identified in local enforcement as among active networks. He warned that the county must sustain pressure on gangs and cartels to prevent rising violence.

Technology and units: Johnson described expanded use of drones, saying the office now has 11 drones (including thermal and tactical models) and 25 Federal Aviation Administration‑certified pilots; he cited more than 260 drone missions and roughly 790 flights. He said drones have been used for searches, surveillance and to locate missing persons. The sheriff also described specialized units including an intelligence division, ANNET (the narcotics enforcement team), an Invictus unit for online child‑exploitation investigations, and a multiagency SRT (special response team).

Detention, ICE and court security: Johnson said the average daily jail population was 348 inmates and that the detention facility was near its intended capacity (he cited a design number \"around 376\"). He reported about 45 total vacancies across his office, including 32 detention officer vacancies and a number of sworn positions. The sheriff said the county frequently houses ICE detainees on short stays and that per‑diem payments have offset costs; he and county staff said a per‑diem rate is being renegotiated and that county staff will present details to the board.

Staffing and budgets: Johnson said some court security positions remain unfunded, and he requested continued attention from the commission to retention, recruitment and funding for deputies and detention staff. He credited recent county pay changes for improving recruitment but said some candidates fail background checks and are not hired.

Public safety context and next steps: Commissioners asked for more detail about 911 consolidation and a joint software plan that county staff said will be brought forward next month as an interlocal agreement to replace two dispatch systems with a single shared platform. The sheriff also announced upcoming community events and enforcement press conferences with Burlington Police Department.

Ending: The sheriff concluded by reiterating the need for continued investment in deputies and specialized units to keep pace with trafficking and gang activity, noting that federal task‑force partnerships and technology such as drones have expanded investigative capacity but that personnel shortages remain a critical operational issue.","Sheriff Terry Johnson told the Board of Commissioners that Alamance County faces continuing drug trafficking and gang activity, staffing vacancies across divisions and expanding use of drones and federal task forces to respond to crime.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Commissioners direct staff to review county‑funded trainings and library funding amid budget planning

Resident questions $330,000 courthouse change order; county staff say it is covered by $37 million contract

Alamance County sheriff details drug seizures, gang activity and staffing shortfalls in annual briefing