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Durham staff propose veterans courts, reclaimed water authority and EV‑charging fee authority as NCACC goals
Summary
County staff presented three proposed statewide legislative goals—veterans treatment courts, expanded uses for reclaimed water, and authority for counties to charge fees at public EV chargers—and asked the board for direction ahead of NCACC deadlines.
Durham County’s legislative staff opened the 2027 goals process and presented three department proposals for consideration by the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC).
Deborah Craig Ray said the county will submit proposals for NCACC committee consideration and asked commissioners for direction before NCACC’s portal deadlines. The three department‑driven goals were:
• Veterans treatment courts: Proposed by veteran services to create specialty courts that couple judicial supervision with treatment and peer mentoring for veterans with mental‑health and substance‑use issues.
• Reclaimed water uses: Engineering staff asked the legislature to broaden allowable uses of highly treated reclaimed water to help stretch potable supplies during droughts and expand non‑potable uses beyond current restrictions.
• EV‑charging fee authority: Durham’s sustainability manager, Tobin Fried, said a prior change allowed cities to charge for public EV charging but omitted counties; staff asked authorization for counties to charge fees to recover electricity costs and better manage station turnover.
Commissioners supported the goals and suggested additional statewide priorities—school funding, lottery distribution and SNAP administrative cost relief—would be discussed for possible inclusion via staff counsel and NCACC committee processes.
