Caswell County commissioners appoint Brian Totten, approve budget amendments and revise board ethics policy

The Caswell County Board of Commissioners on March 17 appointed Brian Totten to fill the unexpired District 4 seat and approved multiple budget amendments, a contract change for jail food service and a revision to the board’s code of ethics at a regular meeting at the Caswell County Courthouse.

The action fills the vacancy created when Commissioner Ethel Gwynn resigned effective Feb. 28. The county manager reported the county Democratic Party nominated Brian Totten; Commissioner Smith moved to appoint Totten and Commissioner Ingram seconded. The motion carried by voice vote. County staff said Totten would be sworn in at the board’s April meeting on April 7 if the oath is administered by the clerk of superior court.

The appointment mattered to commissioners because it restores a four-member voting panel for upcoming decisions. Commissioner Ingram said he believed Totten “would be an asset,” noting Totten had run for an at-large seat in 2024.

Separately, the board approved budget amendment No. 20 to allow a memorandum of agreement with the North Carolina Forest Service to build a shared storage shed for cooperative extension equipment. Cooperative Extension received a Golden Leaf Foundation grant of $120,000 in 2024 for an agricultural technology rental program; about $14,811 remained and could lawfully be used for a storage structure. The Forest Service agreed to contribute $10,000 toward a quoted total project cost of $24,811. The board authorized staff to execute an MOA and appropriate the funds.

Budget amendment No. 21 appropriated remaining capital-improvement grant funds for the county’s VIPER emergency radio network. The board recorded a remaining grant balance of $33,936.91 and approved using those funds to purchase portable radio batteries and additional equipment to integrate with existing towers in locations including Yanceyville and Pelham.

The board also approved two additional fiscal cleanup amendments for special-revenue funds: No. 22 to authorize spending of Cooperative Extension restricted revenues and No. 23 to appropriate senior-services special-revenue funds identified during the 2023 audit cleanup.

On the jail food-service contract, staff presented an amendment that implements an automatic price increase tied to the Consumer Price Index effective Jan. 1. County staff provided a preliminary estimate that the increase will raise costs by approximately $10,000; staff said part of that change reflects higher food costs and some increase in average inmate population. The board voted to approve the contract amendment.

The county attorney briefed the board on proposed revisions to the county board code of ethics addressing disclosures of closed-session matters and attorney-client communications. County Attorney Johnson cited North Carolina law on closed sessions and privacy of personnel records, including North Carolina General Statute 143-318.11 (exceptions for closed sessions), 153A-98 (privacy of personnel records) and G.S. 14-230 (failure to discharge duties), and recommended language provided by the School of Government. Commissioners discussed adding an explicit censure option for violations; the board voted to adopt the presented language with the understanding staff and counsel would return with any additional language on censure at a later meeting.

The board set special meetings to screen applicants for an accounting-manager position on March 25 at 4 p.m. and at 4 p.m. on April 7, with interviews tentatively scheduled the week of April 14 but potentially delayed until the District 4 vacancy is sworn in and a commissioner returns from health-related absence.

The meeting included updates from the manager and county attorney: auditors are preparing the 2023 financial statements following audit-question follow-up; county attorney Johnson reported on two delinquent-tax foreclosure matters in Caswell County District Court where a final upset bid sale totaled $30,413.67 (with an expected net surplus to the owner) and a separate property had an outstanding upset bid of $8,230.02 with an upset-bid deadline of March 24.

The board concluded by moving into closed session to consult with counsel and discuss personnel and economic-development matters under G.S. 143-318.11. The motion to go into closed session passed by voice vote.

Votes at a glance - Appointment: Brian Totten to District 4 vacancy — Motion by Commissioner Smith; second by Commissioner Ingram; outcome: approved by voice vote; swearing-in scheduled for April 7 (clerk to administer oath). (See provenance: topicintro–topfinish.) - Budget Amendment No. 20 — MOA with NC Forest Service for shared storage shed; funding from Golden Leaf grant ($120,000 grant; $14,811 remaining) plus $10,000 NCFS contribution; quoted cost $24,811 — approved by motion/voice vote. - Budget Amendment No. 21 — Appropriate $33,936.91 remaining VIPER grant funds for portable batteries and radio equipment — approved by motion/voice vote. - Budget Amendment No. 22 — Appropriate Cooperative Extension special-revenue funds (audit cleanup) — approved by motion/voice vote. - Budget Amendment No. 23 — Appropriate Senior Services special-revenue funds (audit cleanup) — approved by motion/voice vote. - Jail food-service contract amendment — implements CPI-based increase effective Jan. 1; preliminary estimated county cost increase ~$10,000 — approved by motion/voice vote. - Code of ethics amendment — prohibits disclosure of closed-session discussions; board approved presented language and asked counsel to return with possible censure language — approved by motion/voice vote. - Special meetings for recruitment — March 25 (4 p.m.) and April 7 (4 p.m.) set for initial screening; interviews tentatively week of April 14 — approved by motion/voice vote. - Motion to enter closed session under G.S. 143-318.11 — approved by motion/voice vote.

Ending: The board’s next regular meeting schedule and the planned April 7 swearing-in were noted; staff were directed to provide formal written language for the ethics change and to coordinate the oath with the clerk of superior court.