[{"_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",6235269,"mediaKeyId","3406302-21fc5c1e0ede0a2f757439e7d0692e25","parentId",3406302,"title","Brunswick County 4‑H unveils 2025 youth council to develop local teen leadership","audioSeconds",225,"startMs",2792000,"endMs",3017000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3406302-21fc5c1e0ede0a2f757439e7d0692e25&start=2792&end=3017","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3406302-21fc5c1e0ede0a2f757439e7d0692e25/thumbnail_2792000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6235269/Brunswick-County/North-Carolina/Brunswick-County-4H-unveils-2025-youth-council-to-develop-local-teen-leadership","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6235269-21f40146a5e251ce02623c423db840e2/orig.mp4?Expires=1770424049&Signature=cfgEgn7NZ58fACd0kBfNNAOunapDioESshztbWigqB-t2pf2k-IxJ~c7NQHj4t2V5hjKv6TeX11JorLax6wXi-p6CK9tLKEI0trGowl9bZOCxFjs75CAlZ51KdH7On-7JyS8p1NpG2qanT86iwj29k7Pmnplb7GpRF1GaW6gD9XWWePMWeVWPvY2LKmyn5ZzU4DVlOEJOq3FnzGOt3YPlsCDIx-4DbbXUuy00quzRLKsAnqtDvL-4nabLjiQfgGXVaKyD3dlKR2Aa~E4X98W0cxSIAqmyBb-nKn91gaePnLhSJae9ROgh-G5wx3Atu2qc7MCaYD3b-IwkvveD3Fnxw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Brunswick County, NC","date","2025-05-20T13:33:51Z","article","Jamie Lester, the county 4‑H agent, introduced the Brunswick County 2025 Youth Council to the Board of Commissioners on May 19, presenting a group of youth leaders and summarizing the council’s goals.

Lester said the council was formed late last year and includes club officers who volunteered to take leadership roles. The youth council’s objectives include helping members identify and build leadership skills, strengthen communication and group process abilities, plan and implement community service projects, and pursue career development through partnerships with county departments.

Lester and Amy Mead (staff member) said some members were unable to attend the meeting and that the council will offer officer positions, opportunities to attend district, state and national events, and service‑learning experiences over the coming year.

No formal board action was taken; the presentation served to introduce the youth council to the commissioners and the public and to acknowledge the group’s planned activities for 2025.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Brunswick County Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting | May 19, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","County 4‑H introduced the Brunswick County 2025 Youth Council at the May 19 meeting; leaders said the group will focus on leadership skills, service learning and community partnerships and attend district, state and national events.","taxTitle","Brunswick County, North Carolina","taxId",53179,"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},6235276,"Brunswick County presents balanced FY2025–26 budget plan; holds tax rate at $0.342",1757,3215000,4972000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3406302-21fc5c1e0ede0a2f757439e7d0692e25&start=3215&end=4972","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3406302-21fc5c1e0ede0a2f757439e7d0692e25/thumbnail_3215000.jpg","/articles/6235276/Brunswick-County/North-Carolina/Brunswick-County-presents-balanced-FY202526-budget-plan-holds-tax-rate-at-0342","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6235276-154a80dc619d07b1789c898af1876e82/orig.mp4?Expires=1770424049&Signature=I68ZIUDJAxZLqOhmjtgtqdeGgWvdChy-T2nhJ9P0C-6pTeGqs-3tri153c8vHNJ1CrngiyDzONZEABGtZ8Epr0-2gCPqEy8t1uxP1oFQXYFKvXQz20eilisuwJ1SfOd1gfqltEXbCBCVhjYvWKADiUaeUe~aq-M26oARIwvaAbWzwu0e8K~WJRBZjMhG9Vy3z0tTKxpgqTf7dgd-bgRTq-a5WDr5ga4BMFdVeJW-ttypQwHxewOZ2V3YokaVDjA8y~dvb~JZbI3pr5QpnR5QmynJ7JbhiK3tWbKlknvfi4R13I2pGXjHWcCNbIWfAgI-ne9L2EjaCGiWeXXnoZGUBg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","County finance staff presented the recommended FY 2025–26 budget to the Brunswick County Board of Commissioners on May 19, saying the plan is balanced at the current property tax rate of 0.342 and that the document emphasizes county goals while preserving a strong fund balance.

The budget presentation by Steve Stone (staff member) included these highlights: a 3% market adjustment for employees who meet expectations, merit pools for raises that range by performance category, and a proposal to add 51 new positions (42 in government services; 9 in enterprise funds). Stone said the plan maintains benefits and increases funding to key partners — including an 8.9% increase to Brunswick County Schools and a 7.1% increase to Brunswick Community College — and provides $350,000 for the Brunswick Guarantee foundation grant supporting tuition assistance.

Stone told commissioners the County would transfer $2,323,513 to a county capital reserve for design work on an emergency operations center and a health and human services building that began in FY 2024–25. He also said the recommended budget preserves the county’s debt policy targets and noted that Brunswick County currently has a higher Moody’s bond rating than the U.S. government, a point offered to underline fiscal strength.

The presentation described fee adjustments: increases to advanced and basic life support fees to 250% of Medicare rates (with staff noting most of the cost would be borne by third‑party payers), changes to fire inspection fees tied to state code updates, and limited increases in parks and recreation rental and athletic fees. Enterprise funds reflect customer growth in water and wastewater and higher debt service tied to raw water main construction and treatment plant expansion projects.

Stone reviewed what changed since the workshop two weeks earlier: targeted increases in elections and IT budgets, added digital evidence equipment for the sheriff’s office and four additional paramedic positions, and reductions in some ARP‑enabled items. He said the budget remains balanced at the current tax rate but warned that ongoing population growth will increase service demands and could make maintaining the current rate challenging in future years.

Commissioners discussed the timeline: staff offered a budget workshop at 1 p.m. on June 2 if the board desired; the public hearing is scheduled for 3 p.m. on June 2 and can be continued to the evening meeting on June 16, with final adoption targeted for June 16. A clerk confirmed no formal motion was required to set the hearing date.

Following the presentation, commissioners thanked staff for producing a balanced plan that avoids a tax increase this year and directed continued diligence on long‑term revenue and service demands.","County staff presented a balanced budget that retains the current property tax rate, proposes targeted employee pay adjustments, adds 51 positions, and schedules a public hearing for June 2 with possible approval on June 16.",{"_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},6235280,"Brunswick County OKs paying local match to advance Lockwood Folly inlet dredging",359,2995000,3354000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3406302-21fc5c1e0ede0a2f757439e7d0692e25&start=2995&end=3354","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3406302-21fc5c1e0ede0a2f757439e7d0692e25/thumbnail_2995000.jpg","/articles/6235280/Brunswick-County/North-Carolina/Brunswick-County-OKs-paying-local-match-to-advance-Lockwood-Folly-inlet-dredging","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6235280-543d3fd2696f5f8dd7e27768300ac9cc/orig.mp4?Expires=1770424049&Signature=XPHqIj4HcGB9xZC3d4UlPY6RTecp9PS~vFz~CmoIL488RUB3-HTRRoUUUHF1iqPK0aWDzTsUspiS1XeDmdGuGV3VMHY~xMj~Qvk~qAdDjvoXuZKvfOEbsNhNDQ6-fp7BC0pEYVsM7HIAPPKeP4sZDCw9LVS3g7hqzfyHJFvPHuvKNgvejemuWffQbOjZ-SEeA2KTADyELeBltwyCVIat2~woazpvH2l~7Kkve-acAj33pNFT8K-ARBxpaYe80JPgujxyErHIqDUWw2q3RfllQbMUe~xHWoPXZdyzr24HO7Np65GSe0fGkzb-u8BD7RRAyhI2WitXiWqSpO8p0y54cQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Brunswick County commissioners authorized county staff to advance the full local match to move forward with a state‑backed dredging project for Lockwood Folly Inlet, the county said at its May 19 meeting.

County staff told commissioners the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed surveying the inlet and proposed dredging to an 8‑foot depth within the dredge box, using a side‑caster dredge known in the discussion as the Merit. The county said the side‑caster method scoops material and places it to the sides rather than pumping sand onto beaches.

The total project cost presented to the board was $744,500. State funds from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s shallow‑draft inlet fund would cover roughly 75% of the cost; the remaining 25% — about $186,125 — is the local match. Historically, Brunswick County takes half of the local match and Oak Island and Holden Beach split the remainder; that would make Brunswick’s share roughly $93,062 and the other two towns about $46,531 each, staff said.

Neil (staff member) told the board that Holden Beach has agreed to its share and Oak Island had not yet committed. To keep the project on the Corps’ schedule and to secure the available dredge, staff recommended the county pay the full local match up front and seek reimbursement later from Holden Beach and Oak Island.

When Commissioners moved and seconded a motion to approve the payment plan, the board voted in favor. The board did not record an individual roll‑call vote in the public remarks; the motion was approved by voice vote.

Commissioners and staff noted the Merit was the only operational Corps side‑caster available for the timing discussed. A commissioner asked where the county match would come from; staff replied a reserve fund set aside for these projects would cover the cost.

The project schedule presented by staff targeted late June to July, pending coordination with the Corps and state partners.

The board’s authorization was procedural — to fund the county’s upfront payment of the local match and pursue reimbursement from the two municipalities — and did not amend ordinances or change tax rates.

Moving forward, staff will execute the payment and pursue reimbursements from Holden Beach and Oak Island, and proceed with coordination with NC DEQ and the Corps of Engineers for mobilization of the dredge.","The Board of Commissioners authorized Brunswick County to advance the full local match for a state-backed dredging project at Lockwood Folly Inlet so work can proceed on a side‑caster dredge this summer; Oak Island has not yet committed to its share.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Brunswick County 4‑H unveils 2025 youth council to develop local teen leadership

Brunswick County presents balanced FY2025–26 budget plan; holds tax rate at $0.342

Brunswick County OKs paying local match to advance Lockwood Folly inlet dredging