Commissioners approve budget amendments, capital‑project revision and contract change orders; enter closed session for economic development

The Edgecombe County Board of Commissioners approved multiple budget and contract items and voted to go into closed session to discuss economic development.

Commissioners voted to approve three budget amendments: one to appropriate funds from a governor’s highway safety grant for the current fiscal year; one to appropriate funds received from an insurance claim; and one to reallocate payroll dollars from salary lines to temporary/contract labor lines to cover recent staffing actions. The board approved the three amendments by voice vote; no roll‑call tallies were recorded in the meeting transcript.

The board also approved a revision to the Capital Projects Fund ordinance to add a donations line for the county’s animal shelter project. County staff said the board had received a $19,000 donation and that, with approval, the funds would be placed in the project contingency line. Staff said the donor intended the gift to fund a concrete pad inside a fenced play area for animals; that work was not included in the project’s original scope.

Commissioners approved contract amendments and change orders. Staff said two change orders relate to non‑emergency medical transport services paid through Medicaid. The county’s primary provider is Tar River Transit and the secondary provider is WW Fast Movers; state action reduced Medicaid rates for related services by 3 percent effective Oct. 1, and staff presented retroactive contract amendments to align county contracts with the revised state rates. The board approved those amendments by voice vote.

Staff also presented a change order for A.R. Chesson on the animal shelter contract to add the concrete pad and one additional item; staff said this change order will increase that contract by roughly $23,006.14. A separate change order for RL Architecture increases that architect’s contract by about $1,900 to cover printing multiple sets of building plans needed for maintenance and recordkeeping. Commissioners approved the presented change orders.

Finally, the board voted to move into a closed session under North Carolina General Statute § 143‑318.11(a)(4) to discuss economic development. The motion was approved and the board adjourned to closed session.

Votes recorded in the meeting were taken by voice; the transcript records the board approving each item with “aye” and no recorded “no” votes. The meeting did not include roll‑call tallies for these items in the transcript.