SEPTEMBER 2018 NEWSLETTER
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The Annual Banquet will be Thursday, September 27, 2018 @ 6:30 PM
Penn's Bar & Grill
913 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue
Oxford, NC 27565
I-85 Exit 204
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Three Local Airports Receive Funding
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The N.C. Board of Transportation has approved state and federal funds for much-needed improvements to 27 North Carolina airports; three of which are in the region. The $24.7 million in funding, approved by the board during its July meeting, will be used to provide improvements such as better runway lighting, new fuel tanks and safer taxiways. North Carolina airports serve as a vital economic engine connecting people and business enterprises with the world. They are among the primary economic drivers in their local communities.
The local projects the N.C. Board of Transportation approved include:
- $2,484,000 for rehabilitation of the runway pavement at Henderson-Oxford Airport.
- $513,000 to remove Runway 6 obstructions at Person County Airport.
- $1,521,000 to rehabilitate airfield lighting at Triangle North Executive Airport (Louisburg).
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New Reports Released from the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging
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Two new reports have been released from the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging that show how Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) are responding to shifting demographics and challenges in their communities. The first article,
Housing and Homelessness: Services and Partnerships to Address a Growing Issue
, explores how Area Agencies on Aging are addressing the difficulties that older adults are experiencing as they try to find housing that is safe, affordable, and meets their needs.
The second report,
Rural AAAs Structure and Services Information & Planning Issue Brief
, focuses on the structure and programs offered by AAAs that serve rural geographic areas and the unique challenges they face in meeting the needs of older adults in their regions. This report is based on data from the National Survey of Area Agencies on Aging: 2017 Report.
For more information on the Kerr-Tar Area Agency on Aging and the work they are doing in our region, visit our
website
.
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Rural Center's Rural Counts Program Coming to Henderson on September 25
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From its very beginning, the Rural Counts advocacy program has been committed to taking its lead from the wisdom of local champions and Rural Center partners.
After collaboratively developing our 10 strategies agenda in 2016, we spent a year on the road hosting listening sessions and visiting with leaders from each of the 80 counties we serve. Those conversations helped us articulate the top economic development priorities facing rural North Carolina: broadband, health, and small business development.
Now, it’s time to put meat on the bones of those issues and find solutions that will work for our entire state.
We hope you will join us for (at least) one of seven
Zero Barriers Regional Policy Roundtables
this fall. These day-long sessions will feature in-depth discussions about each of our three top policy issues. We will present suggestions of policies that may make a difference, and then we want your feedback on what is good, what is bad, and what is missing. We will use your feedback to shape specific policy recommendations for the NC General Assembly to consider when it convenes for the 2019 session next January.
A roundtable is scheduled for Tuesday, September 25, in Henderson at Perry Memorial Library. We hope you will join us for part or all of the day!
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Congratulations to the Kerr-Tar Workforce Development Board for being awarded a 2018 NADO Innovation Award for the Pathways to Prosperity Project. We are so proud of the Workforce Development Team. The complete list of award winners is available by
clicking here.
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PLANNING & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
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Upcoming 2018 KTRPO Meeting Schedule:
(Meetings are held from 3-5pm in the Kerr-Tar COG Offices, 1724 Graham Avenue, Henderson, NC 27536)
Tuesday February 13, 2018
Thursday March 8, 2018
MEETING CANCELED
Thursday May 24, 2018
Thursday June 28, 2018
Thursday October 25, 2018
(Please note that additional meetings may need to be scheduled to accommodate NCDOT deadlines)
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The next KTRPO P 5.0 Subcommittee, we meet prior to the full TAC.TCC meeting. Both meetings will occur in
late September/early October
. Members of the Committees will receive more information as the meeting dates approach.
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The N.C. Department of Transportation’s Adopt-A-Highway program kicks off its Fall Litter Sweep on Sept. 15, and will run through Sept. 29. Volunteers are provided cleanup supplies such as orange trash bags (reversible to blue for recyclables), gloves and orange safety vests from local NCDOT county maintenance offices. Last year’s fall litter sweep removed 76,995 pounds of litter from roads and highways. Volunteers from local businesses, schools, non-profits and community groups work alongside NCDOT to help keep North Carolina’s roadways clean throughout the year. Groups are encouraged to participate in the biannual litter sweeps in the spring and fall, helping to increase cleanup and encourage the community to be good stewards of the environment. Click
here
for more information.
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The COG is the grantee of the Visit NC Farms Mobile App Project through the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. This mobile app, will assist with promoting agritourism throughout the region. To highlight the benefits of this app, the COG hosted two Interest meetings among members of the farming and agritourism communities.
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Lord Granville Agricultural Heritage Association’s
12th Annual Harvest Show
Help Support our Scholarship Program
October 5, 2018 Noon – 5:00 pm
October 6, 2018 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
October 7, 2018 11:00 am – 4:00 pm
Corner of 12th and G streets, Butner, NC
Daily admission $5.00
Three Day admission $8.00
Children under 12 free
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State submits Volkswagen Settlement Phase 1 Plan
Raleigh, NC – North Carolina has submitted its plan for the state’s $92 million share of a national settlement with Volkswagen for unlawfully cheating on vehicle emissions. The Volkswagen Mitigation Plan details how the state will invest the first 33% of the funds in Phase 1 on projects to significantly reduce NOx emissions and improve air quality.
At the direction of Governor Roy Cooper, the Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality (DAQ) worked with stakeholders and people across the state to shape the proposed plan for Phase 1. Based on public feedback, there was overwhelming support for replacing school buses with new, more efficient models.
“Putting cleaner school buses on the road is a smart way to cut harmful pollution and improve air quality,” Gov. Cooper said. “North Carolina has a plan to invest these funds so kids get new buses to ride to school as well as cleaner air to breathe for years to come.”
The Phase 1 plan includes:
• 40% (approx. $12.2 million) to be spent on school bus replacements
• 20% (approx. $6 million) designated for transit bus replacements
• 10% for heavy-duty on-road equipment replacement projects
• 10% for heavy-duty off-road equipment replacement projects.
Phase 1 funding will focus on public sector needs. Eligible projects can be submitted by local, state and tribal government organizations, public or private nonprofit organizations, and public/private partnerships where the lead applicant represents a public sector or a public or private non-profit.
Based on feedback from the public, North Carolina will also allocate the maximum allowance of 15% of the funds toward zero emission vehicle (ZEV) infrastructure projects. Public and private sector projects will be eligible for the approximately $4.6 million available in Phase 1.
Once the plan is accepted by the trustee of the Volkswagen Mitigation Fund, the Division of Air Quality will put out a request for proposals. At that point, eligible organizations can submit their projects with selections scheduled for Spring/Summer of 2019. Beginning in Fall of 2019, DAQ will provide opportunities for public involvement on the draft plan for Phase 2.
If you would like to receive email updates about this topic, please send an email with the word ‘Subscribe’ in the subject line to
daq.NC_VWGrants@ncdenr.gov
.
You can find additional information regarding the VW Settlement on our web page.
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The Mobility Manager is pleased to announce the Elderly and Disabled Individuals Transportation program resumed on August 27, 2018. This service is provided under The 5310 Elderly Individuals and Individuals with Disabilities Program, a N.C. Department of Transportation (NCDOT) grant funded program which is administered by the Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments and is available to our region’s residents. The service is designed to provide our elderly and disabled citizens increased access to transportation for their medical needs. This program
shall provide medical transportation for those individuals for which transportation services are unavailable, insufficient or inappropriate.
Sharon Thomas, Mobility Manager will be attending the NCDOT’s Public Transportation Division (PTD) Fall 2018 Conference in Chapel Hill later this month.
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The North Carolina Association of Rural Planning Organizations held their quarterly meeting July 26-27
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at the Blue Ridge Electric Membership Office in Boone. Topics discussed included NCDOT updates, autonomous vehicles, transportation funding, and multi-modal issues. An additional meeting was held in West Jefferson on July 25
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to discuss the role of Corridor Development Engineers for each district and how they can coordinate and assist RPO staff. KTRPO Regional Planner Stephanie Harmon has volunteered to serve on the newly formed P6 Subcommittee: Assessing Measures of Transportation Disadvantage for Public Transportation. This subcommittee will provide feedback for a research project sponsored by NCDOT at NC State University. The goal of this research project is to provide more effective ways of representing the transportation disadvantaged population in transit project scoring during the P6 round of STIP project selection.
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Governor Roy Cooper in June signed into law the Build NC Bond Act of 2018, a new financing tool to help expedite critical highway projects.
“For families trying to get to work and school faster, for farmers and business owners seeking to get their goods to customers, and for CEOs looking to grow in North Carolina, transportation is essential,” Gov. Cooper said. "Build NC is a bipartisan effort that pulled Republicans and Democrats together to help deliver critical transportation projects to communities more quickly, helping North Carolina attract opportunities and stay competitive."
Under Gov. Cooper’s direction, the N.C. Department of Transportation has accelerated 350 highway projects and made room for an additional 144 projects in the current 2018-2027 transportation plan. NCDOT pushed for Build NC as an added tool to expedite more infrastructure projects for quicker delivery.
“Transportation is the backbone of our state’s economic competitiveness and our quality of life,” said Transportation Secretary Jim Trogdon. “Build NC is a tool that will allow us to continue strong project delivery.”
Build NC will only be used if NCDOT is able to maintain its strong project delivery pace, which increases expenditures and decreases its cash balance. If that balance reaches a certain level, the department can ask the state treasurer to issue up to $300 million in bonds annually over the next 10 years to maintain project delivery at current levels.
Build NC bonds will be applied to projects consistent with the Strategic Transportation Investments Law that requires projects be selected through a data-driven scoring process. These are projects in the regional and division tiers.
Repayment of any bonds sold will come from within the state Highway Trust Fund.
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Virtual Dementia Tour
The AAA conducts the Virtual Dementia Tour (VDT) within the following counties: Franklin, Granville, Person, Vance and Warren. The VDT is a ground-breaking, evidence based and scientifically proven method of building a greater understanding of dementia through the use of patented sensory tools and instruction based on research conducted by P.K. Beville, a specialist in geriatrics and the founder of Second Wind Dreams. The goal of this program is to provide needed knowledge about dementia so we can provide better person-centered care and attention for those living with the disease. If you are interested in having this unique program conducted at your facility or organization, please contact Family Caregiver Specialist, Harvey Holmes, at (252) 436-2040 or hholmes@kerrtarcog.org
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Caregiver Support Groups
Within our Region, caregiver support groups are offered monthly in the following counties: Warren, Granville, Person and Franklin. If you are a caregiver, or know someone who is, we highly recommend attending! Our caregiver support groups offer information, assistance, guidance, and support! The following times for the meeting are listed below:
Franklin County Caregiver Support Group
Louisburg Senior Center
2nd Monday @ 7:00 P.M
(919) 496-1131
Warren County Caregiver Support Group
Warren County Senior Center
2nd Tuesday @ 3:00 P.M
(252) 257-3111
Granville County Caregiver Support Group
Granville Primary Care Education Classroom
1st Wednesday @ 12:00 P.M
(919) 690-3273
Person County Caregiver Support Group
Person County Senior Center
4th Tuesday @ 6:00 P.M
(336) 599-7484
Person County Caregiver Support Group
Cambridge Hills
2nd Tuesday @ 6:30 P.M
(336) 599-7484
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Governor Roy Cooper visited Piedmont Community College (PCC) in Person County to promote a new $7 million grant program for community college students across the state. The Finish Line Grants program, will assist students who face unforeseen financial emergencies complete their education during the 2018-2019 academic year. For many students across North Carolina, not being able to finish your degree of certification that they have been working so hard to achieve is a reality. As part of the program, recipients will receive a maximum of $1,000 per semester to help pay for course materials, housing, medical needs, dependent care, or other financial emergencies students may face. In order to qualify, student must be in good academic standing and have completed 75% of their degree or certification to apply for the Finish Line Grant. More information is available at:
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Below: Gov. Roy Cooper, center, talks with Beth Townsend during Cooper’s visit to PCC. Walking beside Gov. Cooper is North Carolina Sen. Mike
Woodard.
Photo Courtesy: Anna Fletcher, The Courier-Times
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Above: Gov. Roy Cooper, center, talks with PCC Vice President Dr. Barbara Buchanan, left, PCC Coordinator for College High School Programs Leia Gaskin-Sadiku Rollins and Trustees Chair Bayard Crumpton.
Photo Courtesy: Anna Fletcher, The Courier-Times
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Luggage of Hope is designed to give children coming into foster care luggage and toiletries and opposed to having put their items in trash bags. Pictured: Luggage was delivered to Toni Richardson at Granville County DSS. She was extremely excited to receive the donation. She said that they see many, many children who are being place in foster care with no luggage or basic care items. She has a 17 year old girl who she is placing today who is in dire need of the suitcase and toiletries, so our donation was timely as well as necessary. She said that we made her day!
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Are you having a hard time landing a job and feel defeated or frustrated? NCWorks Career Centers have staff that can help assist you. If you need a little inspiration, read this success story and how an individual who was living in a shelter and trying to go to school has now gained employment. Click
here
for the entire story.
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See below, August calendars for workshops offered at local career centers.
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Communities Served:
Franklin County
Granville County
Person County
Vance County
Warren County
Town of Bunn
Town of Butner
City of Creedmoor
Town of Franklinton
City of Henderson
Town of Kittrell
Town of Louisburg
Town of Macon
Town of Middleburg
Town of Norlina
City of Oxford
City of Roxboro
Town of Stem
Town of Stovall
Town of Warrenton
Town of Youngsville
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Executive Director
Diane Cox
Planning & Development
Michael Kelly
Workforce Development
Vincent Gilreath
Aging
Jillian Hardin
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MISSION STATEMENT
Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments aims to
promote regionalism that provides opportunities for
local governments to enhance and improve the quality
of life for our citizens through effective delivery of
services and programs.
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