Craven County commissioners approve ambulance franchise, transit grants, library lease and multiple budget amendments

The Craven County Board of Commissioners on Oct. 20 voted on a series of franchise approvals, grant applications and budget amendments, approving a nonemergency ambulance franchise, two state transit funding applications, several sheriff's office budget items, a county-funded water-main relocation to accommodate a North Carolina Department of Transportation paving project, and a 25-year lease to expand parking at the Cove City Library.

The board approved the ambulance franchise for Caroline Medical Transport after county staff and the county’s EMS advisory council reviewed the application. County emergency-services staff explained that under the Craven County ambulance franchise ordinance, any provider that picks up a patient within the county and delivers them elsewhere must be franchised with the county; providers based outside the county may still transport patients in or out of the county under their own contracts with clients.

Why it matters: the franchise formalizes which providers can operate nonemergency and convalescent transports originating in Craven County and ensures local oversight under the county franchise ordinance.

Caroline Medical Transport’s application was presented by county emergency-services staff, who said the company will start at a basic level for convalescent nonemergency transport with plans to expand care levels in the future. The board approved staff’s recommendation to grant the franchise.

The board also authorized county staff to submit two state transit grant applications administered by the North Carolina Department of Transportation. Kelly Walker Cusser, representing CARTS, said the county received a State Maintenance Assistance Program (SMAP) allocation of $130,920 for fiscal year 2025–26; the application deadline is Oct. 24 and funds must be used by June 30, 2026. In addition, the county’s consolidated operating application under the Rural Operating Assistance Program (ROAP) was allocated a total of $253,246 for the county: $100,276 for the elderly and disabled transportation component (ETP), $19,645 for employment transportation, and $133,325 for rural general public (RGP) service. The board voted to…