Craven County · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Craven County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Juvenile Crime Prevention Council FY27 Funding Plan
The JCPC requested level funding of $320,335 for local youth programs, which the commissioners unanimously approved.
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.
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.
Sandy Ridge Trailer Park Conditions
Residents raised serious concerns about squatters, trash accumulation, utility tampering, and drug activity at Sandy Ridge Trailer Park on Keener Avenue, urging the county to take further action.