[{"_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",6786884,"mediaKeyId","5594970-753bb9d333bbb47a30d6af938a6bea9b","parentId",5594970,"title","Residents press Onslow commissioners to fund volunteer fire departments; commissioners point to contract requirements","audioSeconds",1046,"startMs",542325,"endMs",1588744,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5594970-753bb9d333bbb47a30d6af938a6bea9b&start=542&end=1588","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5594970-753bb9d333bbb47a30d6af938a6bea9b/thumbnail_542325.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6786884/Onslow-County/North-Carolina/Residents-press-Onslow-commissioners-to-fund-volunteer-fire-departments-commissioners-point-to-contract-requirements","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6786884-4b5803eaae846b7e3b68750f5c9f99c5/orig.mp4?Expires=1775261457&Signature=HFhyVTstjxirQaPsfbQH4tvzcX85vLwB~JUbBvBfwV4sxPMcuZ~jyPEXViPWExvb8YVYmp1M-vX02PAS3BRtPvUgeLJldKglYe7txl9qSMHv~Wg~hAWcqkTtfmK2WO8A0Mu0XEon5MwYS3Nqa0965enblT33DOcWkfV-K~8L52dRwg9i8IoIVGQTuTvz8Gc6wX2zXR2z~c43KgN4bdup-qR6xvHa3RxtHt-Uvx0pP~75r8pcNjYz22nqndtd6eAw0hLDf~~PIkyCH~a2ApnmF4PSIcAY2wSYUPWfk6z~E4t~mVVCuONF6sKSH-uargQ8EdCR4uCs9aOpusnqiNgh4Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Onslow County","date","2025-08-18T22:52:35Z","article","A resident and volunteer advocates pressed the Onslow County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 18 to prioritize capital funding for long‑standing volunteer fire departments amid a broader county push to reorganize fire and emergency services.

\"Volunteer departments have been here through hurricanes, wildfires, wrecks, and structure fires without fanfare and without the full support they deserve,\" said Elliot Jarman, a resident who told the board volunteer units received no capital improvement funding in the county’s current plan and asked commissioners to \"take a hard look at your budget priorities.\" Jarman said volunteers need trucks, stations and equipment upgrades, and warned that the county’s new model could erode community trust.

Commissioner Tony Bennett (as identified in the transcript) responded that the county funds most volunteer departments and that only two are not receiving capital allocations because they have not agreed to a county contract. \"There are only 2 volunteer fire departments that aren't getting funding for their capital needs,\" Bennett said, adding the departments can qualify for capital dollars \"if they agree to a very simple contract.\" Bennett said the county allocates more than $10 million this year to support volunteer fire departments and that 11–12 volunteer departments receive capital funding.

County manager staff briefed the board that a fire‑service master‑plan steering committee held its second meeting and is interviewing consulting firms to run an extended public engagement process across volunteer and paid departments, municipalities and Camp Lejeune. The manager said the effort is intended to examine organizing fire and EMS delivery \"as a single service in Onslow County\" rather than by separate jurisdiction lines.

The board said it will invite volunteer departments to a strategic‑planning session in Richlands and continue follow‑up with affected departments. No formal funding change or vote on capital allocations occurred at the meeting.

Meeting actions related to this topic: members discussed the budgeting approach and steering‑committee work; no motion was made that altered funding at this meeting.

What’s next: staff work on the fire‑service master plan will continue, with outreach to volunteer departments and interviews of consultant firms; commissioners said they will follow up with the two departments that have not signed contracts.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Onslow County Board of Commissioners Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","A resident and volunteer advocates pressed the Onslow County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 18 to prioritize capital funding for long‑standing volunteer fire departments amid a broader county push to reorganize fire and emergency services.","taxTitle","Onslow County, North Carolina","taxId",4261,"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},6786874,"Resident urges end to religious invocations and raises election‑access concerns; commissioners say election rules are set by Raleigh",1576,242950,1819150,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5594970-753bb9d333bbb47a30d6af938a6bea9b&start=242&end=1819","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5594970-753bb9d333bbb47a30d6af938a6bea9b/thumbnail_242950.jpg","/articles/6786874/Onslow-County/North-Carolina/Resident-urges-end-to-religious-invocations-and-raises-electionaccess-concerns-commissioners-say-election-rules-are-set-by-Raleigh","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6786874-cf8e63b79639c8a7625d28054fa00598/orig.mp4?Expires=1775261457&Signature=UHcma~vMwQ0Py5uwJzAJW7ep1xcGwmgS0Td~K7HuiRV~juDQncdOKzLBArvhvcuPS5EUqczXPVbhPpYogznnGGFNMb0KqK8ozy5ia6dePTwuofBOE~~AS09blSj1fkep4qQH4J8U4GEEamBsy-6-C4K~PIyzlIIYgOm5ZVFKq--rJxPQnnhIOr5sFq2Rwf2ypWvRo~tYr4kobVPAbJ8~EbhKC3yEjzsv~2YZLuAJUUxIBm1mF8UU-eTAnFv3q-myYen8lzyTkqudhAYSVKNuLTjuzqus7Vwih0dCVwau9Em3ee2PG4iWsRFhFPra7-X2Lk3ZDFZXCsWd5aw9NWgznw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A public commenter told the Onslow County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 18 that the board’s invocation practice violates the establishment clause and raised concerns about local election access and the Board of Elections’ staffing and early‑voting locations.

\"The board is violating its own policies in addition to the law and our rights by ignoring the establishment clause,\" said Ari Rakowitz during the public‑comment period, calling on the county to take actions that respect diverse beliefs. Rakowitz also criticized what he described as underfunding and understaffing of the Board of Elections, questioned the cancellation or relocation of a BOE workshop and urged more early‑voting locations across municipalities rather than a single site in Georgetown.

Commissioner Tony Bennett disputed broad claims that the BOE is underfunded, saying the county \"funds the Board of Elections every year... at almost exactly the amount that they asked for,\" and that the county increases the BOE budget in years with shortages. Bennett added that election rules such as the use of drop boxes are established by the North Carolina General Assembly, not the county.

Rakowitz also asked about municipal support for maintenance and lighting at Georgetown Park and said he would return with more documentation; the board noted that Georgetown Park is a city facility (city of Jacksonville), not a county park.

Meeting actions: The board approved several procedural items by voice vote early in the meeting — an amendment to remove an agenda item noted in the transcript as \"aprez 2025 000016,\" a consent‑agenda amendment removing item 2b, adoption of the amended agenda, and approval of the consent agenda. A motion to adjourn was made and carried at the end of the meeting by voice vote.

What’s next: Rakowitz said he will return with additional context; commissioners reiterated the county will work through appropriate channels on BOE support and municipal issues.

","A public commenter told the Onslow County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 18 that the board’s invocation practice violates the establishment clause and raised concerns about local election access and the Board of Elections’ staffing and early‑voting locations.",{"_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},6786879,"Onslow County finance director reports revenues on target; resiliency grant possible",405,727980,1133715,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5594970-753bb9d333bbb47a30d6af938a6bea9b&start=727&end=1133","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5594970-753bb9d333bbb47a30d6af938a6bea9b/thumbnail_727980.jpg","/articles/6786879/Onslow-County/North-Carolina/Onslow-County-finance-director-reports-revenues-on-target-resiliency-grant-possible","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6786879-faaddfabbde87d23f257b06cf1727788/orig.mp4?Expires=1775261457&Signature=TesJMmDFiNUI-XhpPXpVZK1emysUh1rLb042uOVZHMVJ~kcN0A9zcR3C9T3WMGaP8VXIWjkGWTmYD4f-JLUWVS~X0JxqbUjOgHF7q2Tmm2rsKA3rPOwPKHjhDMYzvQnlfvIDObCaSHw3ZlEPzi~0n9sNvv6wcQtrntb0DNHGSjVu3FhBbmw8VmO7dNr-2FiDdquh9ch8oitxwbgbs~MYoVufdsukVoBM5QYMnvgeElmaj5Xh5vf0bLCe7IPtfU91C7r~V81tXpXKuZgR4GFmZbCn-Q3geWpQVbKaziokCNBtWpGe4mip8Z4in69tLUqA5BjuAzuxbtTZGlkPh0DrOA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kevin Patterson, Onslow County’s finance director, told the Board of Commissioners on Aug. 18 that the county’s revenues are generally on track and highlighted several items for follow up.

Patterson said property‑tax collections year‑to‑date total about $143 million. Sales‑tax receipts were reported at roughly $67 million through July 31, and Patterson said the county expects to receive about $13 million more that will put sales‑tax collections near budget target. He cautioned that intergovernmental revenues are estimate‑driven and depend on reimbursement timing.

Patterson noted a correction to solid‑waste figures: total revenue for the year to 06/30/2025 should be $9,544,000 (up from $9,300,000 the prior year). He said operating expenditures appear higher on the report because landfill closure, post‑closure and depreciation items were included as accruals; those non‑budgetary items raised landfill post‑closure accruals from about $1,000,000 to $3,300,000 in the current year.

Patterson also reported the county has applied for a resiliency grant in coordination with Camp Lejeune and the city of Jacksonville, and said the county expects a determination in September; \"we're expecting a favorable determination,\" he told the board, and the grant could exceed $1 million if awarded. He said a grant manager position has been offered and tentatively accepted, with a projected start date of Sept. 2.

Patterson said general‑fund expenditures remain under budget overall and that the county is reviewing transfers of lapse health‑insurance premiums into the health reserve as part of year‑end accounting and closeout work. He said airport revenues are steady and that restricted intergovernmental reimbursements reflect timing differences.

What’s next: the finance office plans to present a draft audit and year‑end figures at the October meeting.","Kevin Patterson, Onslow County’s finance director, told the Board of Commissioners on Aug. 18 that the county’s revenues are generally on track and highlighted several items for follow up.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Residents press Onslow commissioners to fund volunteer fire departments; commissioners point to contract requirements

Resident urges end to religious invocations and raises election‑access concerns; commissioners say election rules are set by Raleigh

Onslow County finance director reports revenues on target; resiliency grant possible