Harnett County commissioners approve routine items, allocate $20,000 in opioid settlement funds and shorten public-comment time

HARNETT COUNTY, N.C. — The Harnett County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 4 approved a slate of routine agenda items, directed $20,000 in opioid settlement funds to Cape Fear Valley Pharmacy for opioid use disorder services for uninsured and underinsured patients, and shortened the county’s public-comment time from five minutes to three minutes per speaker with a 30-minute total cap.

The board approved meeting minutes for July 21 and July 29, accepted a juvenile crime prevention council request to submit county plan program agreements to the North Carolina Department of Public Safety for fiscal year 2025–26, and approved updated airport rules, minimum standards and the annual capital improvement plan for the Harnett Regional Jetport. The board also approved a sole-source contract request from the sheriff’s office to purchase additional software products from Southern Software; the sheriff’s office said no additional county funding is required for that purchase.

The board adopted a resolution directing opioid-settlement funds and allocated $20,000 to Cape Fear Valley Pharmacy “to support opioid use disorder for those underinsured and uninsured,” according to staff. The board appointed David Heselmeier to the Harnett County Board of Health in a public-member position and issued a proclamation recognizing Child Support Awareness Month. Two members of the public spoke during the meeting’s public-comment period.

A zoning matter that had been tabled at the June 16 meeting, Plan 2505‑0001, was taken off the table and approved by the commissioners. County budget amendments were approved during the county-manager’s report. The board selected Brent Trout, Harnett County manager, to serve as the county’s voting delegate at the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners annual conference. The board also approved a motion to allow the chairman to sign contract amendments that exceed the county manager’s signature threshold.

Commissioner Morris proposed shortening the public-comment time from five minutes to three minutes per speaker, with an aggregate cap of 30 minutes; the board approved the change. The county announced its 2025 midyear report is available online and listed upcoming meetings: a work session on Aug. 12 at 9 a.m. and the next regular board meeting on Aug. 18 at 6 p.m.

Votes at a glance

- Approval of minutes (July 21 and July 29, 2025): approved; mover/second not specified in the record. - Juvenile Crime Prevention Council: permission to submit county plan program agreements to the North Carolina Department of Public Safety for FY 2025–26: approved; mover/second not specified. - Harnett Regional Jetport: updated airport rules and minimum standards for operations: approved; mover/second not specified. - Harnett Regional Jetport: FY annual airport capital improvement plan: approved; mover/second not specified. - Sheriff’s Office: enter into sole‑source contract with Southern Software for additional software products (no additional county funding required): approved; mover/second not specified. - Harnett Area transit request: consider and approve North Carolina Department of Transportation FY 2026 5311 administrative grant agreement: approved; mover/second not specified. - Resolution to direct opioid settlement funds, including allocation of $20,000 to Cape Fear Valley Pharmacy: approved; mover/second not specified. - Appointment of David Heselmeier to the Harnett County Board of Health (public member): approved; mover/second not specified. - Proclamation for Child Support Awareness Month: presented and accepted. - Zoning case Plan 2505‑0001 (previously tabled): taken off the table and approved; mover/second not specified. - County budget amendments: approved; mover/second not specified. - Selection of Brent Trout as voting delegate for the NC Association of County Commissioners annual conference: approved; mover/second not specified. - Motion authorizing the chairman to sign contract amendments exceeding the manager’s threshold: approved; mover/second not specified. - Change to public-comment rules to 3 minutes per speaker with a 30-minute cap: approved; mover/second not specified.

Discussion vs. decisions

Most items were presented as routine approvals or staff requests and approved with no vote details recorded in the transcript. The opioid-fund allocation, the zoning case (Plan 2505‑0001) and the public-comment time change were formal actions recorded as approved. Several items were presentations or proclamations (for example, Child Support Awareness Month) rather than motions that changed county policy.

Context and next steps

Staff indicated no additional county funding is needed for the sheriff’s purchase under the sole-source exception. The opioid allocation specifies $20,000 directed to Cape Fear Valley Pharmacy; no further implementation steps or reporting requirements were described on the record. The county directed staff to post the 2025 midyear report to the county website and identified upcoming meeting dates for further business and follow-up items.