Edgecombe County commissioners approve budget amendments, leases and policy updates; call solar ordinance hearing for Feb. 3

TARBORO, N.C. — The Edgecombe County Board of Commissioners approved a package of routine and policy items during its Jan. 6 meeting after a day that included a lengthy rezoning hearing.

Key votes and approvals

- Budget amendments: The board approved Budget Amendments 1 through 7 (motion passed). The county manager noted an additional informational amendment (8.1) was added to the board packet for review.

- Lease agreements (Stryker, Axon, CopyPro): The board approved updated lease agreements for county equipment and services (cardiac monitors for EMS, Axon body and in‑car camera systems for the sheriff’s office, and county copier contracts). The county manager said changes align with vendor terms and Local Government Commission submittal requirements. Approval was conditioned on final LGC review where applicable.

- Farm leases: The board approved three‑year farm leases for county‑owned parcels (Kingsborough Business Park and landfill properties) to the highest bidder, with annual payments due as stated in the lease documents.

- Personnel policy correction and technical-corrections authority: The board corrected an internal cross‑reference in the county personnel policy and approved a new limited authority allowing the county manager to make technical (typographical/formatting) corrections and to report such corrections to the board within 60 days.

- Mileage reimbursement: The board approved an increase in the county mileage reimbursement rate to 70¢ per mile to match the IRS recommended rate.

- State law compliance policy (prohibition on viewing/saving certain content on county devices): The board adopted a new policy required by state law (N.C. Session Law 2024-26) prohibiting the viewing or saving of prohibited content on county networks and devices.

- Health department fees and bad-debt write‑off: The board approved proposed fee changes at the health department (including an updated IPV vaccine fee and dental fee adjustments) and approved a health‑department bad‑debt write‑off of $764.62.

- Transfer of retiring officer’s service weapon: The board approved transfer of a retiring corporal’s service weapon to the officer for $1, per statute and sheriff’s request.

- Appointments: The board reappointed Eleanor Battle Sharp and Maria El Faisel to the Board of Adjustments and noted vacancies on the Human Relations Commission for future appointments.

- Contracts and sole-source approvals: The board approved two contracts (including a sole-source contract for the county key‑fob access system vendor) and an award of copy/maintenance agreements.

- Solar ordinance review: The board called for a public hearing on Feb. 3, 2025, to gather public comment and possible changes to the county’s Unified Development Ordinance provisions for solar energy conversion systems (the board is operating under a temporary moratorium while reviewing UDO language). Planning staff outlined prior UDO amendments (2014–2022) and warned that recent state legislation (Senate Bill 382) has new restrictions that could affect future down‑zoning amendments.

Process notes and non‑action items

- Public petition: A speaker raised concerns about animal shelter operations, trustee programs and commissioners’ travel/stipend levels; no board action was taken at this meeting on those petitions.

- Broadband and property sale updates: Staff reported progress on broadband grant projects and on the county’s negotiated sale of a former DSS/Health campus; an earlier supplemental offer had been formally withdrawn by an alternate bidder.

Ending — What this means: The approvals clear several administrative and contract matters so county departments can proceed with planned purchases and service agreements. The Feb. 3 public hearing on solar ordinance changes opens a separate public engagement window for potential changes to the county’s development regulations.