Durham County approves $159,547 contract for 18‑month food system assessment

The Durham County Board of Commissioners approved a $159,547 contract with Key Environmental Consulting to carry out a countywide food system assessment and develop a 10‑year strategic plan. Chair (S1) announced the contract amount and the item was approved after presentation and questions.

County Extension Director Donna Rewalt (S8) and County Food Security Coordinator Raina Goldstein (S11) said the 18‑month project will include three primary components: community engagement, secondary‑data review and a GIS‑based spatial analysis to map access and distribution. Goldstein described the vendor selection and the plan for community steering‑committee involvement and interim engagement: “But there are 3 main components of our food system assessment,” she said, and staff emphasized that community members will review drafts during the process. Rewalt noted Durham’s prior investments — more than $3 million in ARPA food‑security projects — and said the assessment will prioritize county and community investments.

Commissioners asked the team to return with interim updates and indicated they expected stakeholder involvement from boards such as the farmland board, Soil & Water and the Environmental Affairs Board. County staff responded that legal review of the service contract had been completed and that the selected vendor was locally based with relevant technical and community engagement experience. The board voted to enter the contract in open session; the contract will be executed consistent with county procurement rules.