Craven County · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Craven County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Craven County Schools FY27 Budget Request
The Craven County Board of Education is asking county commissioners to distribute NC lottery funds for Tucker Creek Middle School. This affects school capital funding for the Tucker Creek community.
Trillium Health Resources Annual Report
Trillium manages behavioral health, intellectual/developmental disability, and substance use services for Craven County residents — over 4,000 county members were served in the last fiscal year. The report covers service spending, the new Children and Families Specialty Plan, and how to access services.
Renaming the Havelock Bypass as Major General Hugh R. Overholt Highway
The board is being asked to support asking NCDOT to rename the Havelock Bypass in honor of Major General Hugh R. Overholt, who championed U.S. 70 improvements. State and local leaders have already endorsed the idea.
NCDOI Grant Match for Fire Departments
Fire departments can tap a state Department of Insurance grant, but the county must put up a local match. A budget amendment would cover that cost, supporting local volunteer fire services.
Donation for Bike Trails
Recreation & Parks received a donation to help build bike trails, and a budget amendment would accept and allocate the gift.
Conveyance of Five County-Owned Parcels in New Bern
Five county-owned parcels in New Bern — on I Street, Moore Avenue, McKinley Avenue, and Second Avenue — are ready to be conveyed to buyers after upset bid periods expired with no further bids.
Mayor Retirement
Trent Woods’ mayor is retiring after 19 years, so the town is about to get new leadership. Depending on local rules, that could mean a special election or an appointment to fill the seat. It’s a small-town change, but it affects who runs one of Craven County’s municipalities.
Medicaid Expansion Administrative Mandates and Staffing
New federal and state rules require Craven County Social Services to handle much tighter work requirements, frequent eligibility reviews, and verification checks. To prevent penalties and backpay, the board approved 13 new positions and computer equipment costing $622,880, which is fully covered by state and federal funding.
Craven Community College Health Sciences Expansion
College leaders requested a 5.29% funding increase for FY27 and highlighted major capital projects like the Corporate Training Center and Public Safety Training Center.
Election Voting
Early voting kicks off Thursday morning in Craven County, giving you a chance to cast your ballot early and dodge those annoying election day lines. Plan ahead and map out when you're going to vote!
Election
Early voting is starting soon in Craven County, meaning it's time to check your local polling schedule and get your ballot cast. Make sure you know where and when to vote before heading out.
NCDOT Traffic Reconfigurations and James City Congestion
Craven County is spending $400,256 to relocate over seven miles of fiber-optic cables along Highway 70 due to the I-42 expansion. NCDOT will reimburse most of the cost, leaving the county to cover a portion that doubles network capacity.
Animal Shelter Spay/Neuter and TNR Funding
Residents advocated for using recent animal shelter donations to establish a low-cost spay and neuter program for owned animals and dedicated trap-neuter-return funding for community cats. Commissioners noted the topic will be discussed at an upcoming work session.
FY26 CDBG Neighborhood Revitalization Grant
The county authorized $32,200 for court-ordered trash removal and demolition of dilapidated mobile homes at Sandy Ridge Mobile Home Park to protect community health and safety.
COSSUP Grant Rollover for Substance Abuse Services
The county is exploring a partnership with Southeastern Integrated Care to expand local mental health treatment, residential recovery housing, and jail diversion bed capacity.
ENC Tech Bridge Grant Rollover
The county approved a $225,000 grant rollover to keep the ENC Tech Bridge program running, supporting regional defense partnerships, university projects, and K-12 STEM education.
Sheriff's Office Forensic Van Purchase
The Sheriff's Office received a generous $20,000 donation from a private citizen to help buy a new forensic van for the crime lab. Existing vehicles were too small to carry all necessary equipment, and using donation money saves taxpayers cash.
Government Center East Project & Construction Contract
Craven County purchased an existing building at 1208 East Main Street in Havelock to serve as Government Center East, saving millions over new construction. It will house state and county services, a DMV, and an early voting site.
GREAT Grant Broadband Expansion Match
The county approved a $250,000 ARPA fund match to Brightspeed to complete broadband expansion across unserved rural areas, reaching over 1,800 locations.
2026 Limited Obligation Bonds Issuance
Craven County is issuing up to $25 million in limited obligation bonds to fund capital projects like facility upgrades in Havelock and New Bern, chiller replacements at the judicial center, and library renovations.
CARTS Route Reductions and OnDemand+ Pilot Program
CARTS is proposing to restructure its fixed bus routes from three to two, introduce an OnDemand+ same-day microtransit pilot program, and launch the Greenville Express medical and life-necessity transit service. These changes aim to improve efficiency, reduce headways, and expand regional mobility.
School HVAC Upgrades and Capital Funding
The board acknowledged a $251 million school facility needs survey and approved $369,120 in lottery funds to replace broken air conditioning units at three schools.
Water System Assessment Studies and AMI Meter Project Rollovers
The county approved funding to replace a failed 1992 water well pump on Dover Road to maintain reliable water service in Northwest Craven County.
Foster Care and Adoption Placement Needs
Social services leaders highlighted an ongoing shortage of local foster homes, noting that many children are placed out of county.
Landfill Battery Safety and Recycling
Commissioners discussed worsening illegal roadside dumping across the county and coordinated with the Sheriff's Office to utilize inmate labor for litter cleanup. Additionally, the regional landfill approved a major cell construction project.
Tax Foreclosure Property Dispositions
The county attorney presented three initial purchase offers for tax-foreclosed properties and one finalized conveyance after an upset bid period. These properties are co-owned with the City of New Bern.
Proposed $25 Million Limited Obligation Bonds
The county is moving forward with up to $25 million in limited obligation bonds to fund multiple capital projects, including government facilities in Havelock and New Bern, parking improvements, a maintenance facility, a judicial center chiller, a public defender's office, Cove City Library, and DSS updates.
Animal Shelter Estate Donation and Future Use
The animal shelter received a massive $655,147 estate donation from Shirley Callahan, which the board transferred into a capital reserve fund. Commissioners also discussed potential future uses, including funding for a Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) program.
Coastal Carolina Regional Airport Expansion Grants
The airport received over $2.1 million in federal grants to design runway safety improvements, realign Williams Road, and construct a new corporate aerospace taxiway and apron. These upgrades support economic development and a major new 60,000-square-foot hangar project.
On-Call Compensation Policies for County Staff
The county adopted a new IT on-call policy and updated maintenance on-call pay rates to match water department standards, providing structured after-hours compensation.
Consolidation of County Maintenance Facility on Martin Drive
Craven County is purchasing and consolidating its maintenance department into 3491 and 3493 Martin Drive, funded through a $679,955 budget amendment and future borrowing. This move frees up the old New Street offices for future court services.
Industrial Park Expansion and Grant Funding
The county is purchasing 76 acres on Clarks Road from Weyerhaeuser for $475,000 to expand the industrial park and attract new economic development projects.
Jail Overcrowding and Inmate Medical Costs
The county jail is currently operating about 100 inmates over capacity, driving up required medical spending and prompting a $200,000 budget amendment. Commissioners discussed future facility expansion needs and the ongoing challenge of housing state and local offenders.
FY 2026-2027 Proposed County Budget
The county approved a $169.1 million budget for the upcoming fiscal year that keeps property taxes flat at 44.48 cents per $100. It funds key local services, school debt service, and employee compensation.
Havelock Building Inspections Consolidation
Craven County will take over building permitting and inspection services inside the City of Havelock starting June 1, streamlining services under the county planning department.
Opposition to State Property Tax Limitations
Commissioners discussed state-level property tax reform proposals and revaluation spikes, emphasizing the need to address valuation increases rather than capping tax levies.
Juvenile Crime Prevention Council FY27 Funding Plan
The JCPC requested level funding of $320,335 for local youth programs, which the commissioners unanimously approved.
Highway 101 Land Purchase for Harlowe Park
The county bought a 50-acre Weyerhaeuser parcel on Highway 101 for $287,500 to build a new park with athletic fields and walking trails for the Harlowe community.
Sudan Property Redevelopment & Parking Construction
The county is moving forward with demolishing the old Sudan building and building a 213-space parking lot for county and court use. The project includes historical preservation work mandated by the HPC and temporary parking lot rentals.
Project Enterprise Building Reuse Agreement
Chatsworth Products is expanding its manufacturing operations in Craven County with a $9.5 million capital investment and 45 new jobs. The board accepted a $360,000 state Building Reuse Grant and approved an $18,000 local match to support the project.
Metropolitan Planning Organization Boundary Expansion
The county approved expanding the MPO boundary to include all of Craven County, making the county the lead planning agency and renaming it the Craven County MPO. This change aims to streamline transportation planning and local cost shares across municipalities starting July 1, 2026.
National Opioid Litigation Remnant Defendants Settlement
The board voted to join a nationwide settlement agreement with six remnant opioid distributor and dispenser defendants, securing potential additional abatement funding for the county.
Child Support Enforcement Services Renewal
The county approved a three-year contract extension with YoungWilliams, P.C. to continue managing child support enforcement. Officials noted the program performs above state averages and ensures vital financial support for children.
340B Pharmacy Expansion and Funding
The county health department is expanding its successful 340B pharmacy services to Havelock, requiring a $250,000 budget amendment to cover high demand and prescription costs. Commissioners praised the service for providing affordable medications directly to patients.
Hurricane Disaster Recovery and Housing
A local resident spoke out about ongoing housing delays and alleged administrative failures related to state disaster recovery programs following Hurricane Florence.
Craven County Nature Park Development
Construction is moving forward on the new Craven County Nature Park, bolstered by a $50,000 foundation grant and a county match, with trails, restrooms, and a kayak launch expected by June.
County Noise Ordinance Evaluation
A resident requested that the board review the county noise ordinance to include barking dogs, noting that most neighboring counties regulate animal noise.
Historical Deed Preservation Project
The Register of Deeds office is launching a test scanning project for old handwritten deed books to protect county history, though the long-term preservation of all records will require substantial future funding.
Craven County Recreational Vehicle Park Ordinance Adoption
The county adopted a new ordinance to regulate the design, density, setbacks, and infrastructure standards for recreational vehicle parks, ensuring proper health, safety, and environmental compliance.
Water Department Administrative Officer Position and Workload
To address a 22% growth in water permits and heavy administrative workloads, the county created a new full-time Administrative Officer position funded from the Water Department's fund balance.