Next COG Board Meeting with be Thursday, January 24th 2019 at the COG office at 7:00PM.
The COG office will be closed on January 21, 2019 in observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday.
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The Kerr-Tar COG assisted Vance County with the development of the Building Reuse application with the expansion of Southeastern Specialty Vehicles. The company, which manufactures ambulance and rescue vehicles, will create 18 new jobs over the next three years and provide a $770,077 investment in Vance County.
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The Kerr-Tar Executive Board approved a $50,000.00 E.D.A. Revolving loan to the Balady Corporation DBA (Alpha Pita Bread) located at 264 Raleigh Road Henderson, N.C. The loan would assist the business in the manufacturing of pita bread with the industry to produce 10-15 new jobs over the next 2 years. A grand opening is expected to be held in March of 2019. Angel Said and Yousef Sheteiwy are the owners of the business.
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Vance-Granville Announces New President
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Dr. Rachel M. Desmarais has been chosen as the next president of Vance-Granville Community College. She becomes the seventh president in the 49-year history of the college.
“The Board of Trustees has concluded Dr. Desmarais possesses the key attributes of an outstanding president that were identified in our search process,” said Danny W. Wright, chair of the board. “We are confident that Dr. Desmarais will provide: the visionary leadership to help our college expand and to promote economic development in our four counties, a powerful commitment to student recruitment and retention, the dedication to improving the lives of the people in our service area, the attention to facility planning and sustainability, and the articulation of our mission and vision to the college’s employees and the communities we serve.”
She earned her doctorate of philosophy in instructional design and technology from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va., in 2015 after getting her masters of science in information technology management from the University of North Carolina in Greensboro in 2003. She earned a bachelor of music degree in voice performance from Mars Hill College in 1992.
She was also among fewer than 40 aspiring and emerging community college presidents nationwide who were chosen for the Aspen Institute Presidential Fellowship for Community College Excellence in 2017-2018.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to serve and lead Vance-Granville Community College as its seventh president,” said Dr. Desmarais “VGCC is a special place with students, faculty, staff, and board members who care for and take great pride in the college and community. I look forward to building on the strong value and culture already present in the college to cultivate a new shared vision for VGCC and its communities. Together, we will be truly be Vanguards!” Dr. Desmarais will begin work early in 2019.
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Vance-Granville Community College Announces Four New Classes for Food Truck Entrepreneurs
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Vance-Granville’s Small Business Center is offering four courses catered to food truck entrepreneurs in 2019. The instructor will be Mr. Ray Chow, founder of Hibachi Xpress and Catering.
Interested participants will be required to register for the courses at either:
smallbusiness@vgcc.edu
or (252) 738-3240. The deadline to register for each course in one week prior to the start date. The course schedule is as follows:
- January 14, 2019 – Let’s Get Cooking: Food Truck or Restaurant – students will explore the differences between what it takes to start a food truck or a restaurant.
- February 11, 2019 – The 10 Hats of a Food Entrepreneur – students will learn the multiple roles entrepreneurs need to be able to juggle in order for their business to succeed.
- March 11, 2019 – Food Service Marketing – students will learn the various ways to market their food business to improve their chances of success.
- April 8, 2019 – Keeping Your Food Truck Business Running – will take a closer look at the need for flexibility and proper planning.
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The US Census Bureau is Now Recruiting for 2020 Census Jobs
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Earn extra income while helping your community. The U.S. Census Bureau is recruiting thousands of people across the country (including the five-county Kerr-Tar region) to assist with the 2020 Census count.
The Census Bureau is currently hiring for a variety of temporary jobs, including census takers, recruiting assistants, office staff, and supervisory staff.
To be eligible, applicants must be at least 18 years old, have a valid Social Security number, and be a U.S. citizen. Most jobs require employees to have access to a vehicle and a valid driver’s license, and have access to a computer with internet and an email account.
If interested, please complete the following online application:
https://recruitment.2020census.gov/ats/careersite/census.aspx?site=1&c=census
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NC Commerce Issues 2019 Economic Development Tiers
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PLANNING & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
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2019 Tentative TCC/TAC Meeting Dates
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Meetings are held from 3:00-5:00 p.m. at the Kerr-Tar COG Offices located at 1724 Graham Avenue in Henderson
· January 2019 -
No Meeting Scheduled
· February 21, 2019
· March 28, 2019
· April 25, 2019
· May 23, 2019
· June 27, 2109
· July -
No Meeting Scheduled
· August 29, 2019
· September 26, 2019
· October 24, 2109
· November 2019 -
No Meeting Scheduled
· December 2019 -
No Meeting Scheduled
*Please note, meeting dates are subject to change in order to accommodate NCDOT deadlines
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Elected officials serving as members of the KTRPO TAC are required to submit Statements of Economic Interest (SEI) and Real-Estate Disclosure (RED) Forms annually to the North Carolina State Ethics Commission. The due date for 2019 will be April 15. Please schedule an appointment with KTRPO staff to complete these necessary forms.
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The Kerr-Tar Council of Governments in conjunction with the NC Rural Center, Vance-Granville Community College and USDA will be hosting a Rural Business Assistance Project Information Session on January 8, 2019 from 10:00-11:30 a.m. on the Main Campus of VGCC. This information session will discuss the Rural Food Business Assistance Project, the building of regional food business support networks, and the promotion of food-based business as an economic development strategy in rural North Carolina. If interested in attending, please RSVP to Caroline Pao at:
cpao@ncruralcenter.org
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Visit NC Farms Mobile App
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The Council of Governments, in conjunction with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture, and local
Co-Operative Extension Offices are still accepting applications for the Visit NC Farms Mobile App. If you are a local farmer, local food producer, a restaurant using local foods, or sale local goods at a Farmers Market, please contact your local Agricultural Extension Office for details about being included in the mobile app.
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North Carolina’s Inaugural Transportation Summit will be held on January 9-10, 2019 at the Raleigh Convention Center. This Summit is an exceptional opportunity for policy makers, transportation and industry experts and representatives from city and county governments to gather and discuss transportation safety, future transportation funding and new and disruptive technologies.
If interested in attending, please contact Ernie Cochran at
ernie@housmanandassociates.com
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Join Dennis Alvord, MPA, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Regional Affairs of the U.S. Economic Development Administration and a host of others at the 2
nd
Emerging Issues Forum,
ReCONNECT Rural and Urban
on February 11, 2019 at the Raleigh Marriott City Center. This Institute of Emerging Issues forum will examine the interconnectedness of rural, suburban, and urban economies, and strategies to more effectively promote and leverage these connections for increased success. Register at the following link:
https://iei.ncsu.edu/reconnectnc/rcru/
Scholarships are available to increase geographic, demographic and economic representation at the Institute’s Rural and Urban Forum. Some scholarships are reserved exclusively for residents living in Eastern North Carolina (i.e. counties along and to the east of I-95), especially those living in the region’s most economically distressed counties.
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The NC Department of Transportation has begun soliciting nominations for the first-ever NCDOT Mobility Awards (MOBI). Nominations can be made by any North Carolina city, town, metropolitan planning organization, rural planning organization, public transportation system/authority, airport authority, or council of government. The project should have been completed within the last 5 years and combine 2 or more of the following modes of transportation: transit, bicycle/pedestrian, rail, aviation, ferry, or roadway. Awards will be made in the following categories: Urban, Suburban, Rural, Tourism, and Innovation. Nominations are due by
January 22, 2019
. Winners will be announced on
April 3, 2019
. Applications and other information can be found at:
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Open Call for Projects through Clean Fuel Advanced Technology (CFAT) Project
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Smart Cities Triangle Spotlight
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The NC Department of Transportation’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Division has issued a call for applications for the annual Bicycle Helmet Initiative. This initiative distributes helmets to government and non-government agencies conducting bike safety events. These agencies include: police and fire departments, parks and recreation departments, health departments, community centers, and churches. Applicants may request 25, 50, 75, or 100 helmets. Applications are due by 5:00 pm on
December 21, 2018
. Notification of award will be on January 21, 2019. Applicants must hold the distribution event by
April 30, 2020
. Applicants are encouraged to partner with local area community groups. Applications and other information may be found at:
If interested in applying, please contact a member of the KTRPO.
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The Town of Butner successfully submitted three (3) intersection projects and one (1) greenway project for consideration of NCDOT funds. The NCDOT will announce funding recipients in early 2019. The KTRPO thanks the Town for their submissions.
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Town of Warrenton Bicycle and Pedestrian Trail Plan
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The Town of Warrenton will begin the process of creating a Bicycle and Pedestrian Trail Plan. The first meeting of the Steering Committee is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. at the Town’s Rural Fire Department on January 23, 2019. The Town of Warrenton applied for and was awarded a planning grant from NCDOT in 2018. Stephanie Harmon, KTRPO Regional Planner has been appointed to the Steering Committee.
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The North Carolina Department of Transportation has been using MetroQuest public involvement software to support various planning initiatives over the last three years. In leveraging MetroQuest as a key component of our public involvement strategy, NCDOT has been able to increase the level of public participation and collect significantly more quality data from the public.
For those unfamiliar with MetroQuest, it is highly visual and interactive online survey software. MetroQuest is particularly well suited for transportation agencies needing to acquire informed input from the public to support important and complex transportation plans.
This investment by NCDOT is intended to enable all MPO’s and RPO’s in North Carolina to enhance their respective public involvement results through the use of a high quality survey tool. Using common technology across all agencies will help create a better, more efficient public involvement process throughout the state.
Members of the TAC/TCC are welcome to join the Kerr-Tar RPO for a training on January 23, 2019 by NCDOT officials from 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. The training will be at the KTCOG Offices. If interested in attending, please contact a member of the KTRPO.
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Let the games begin! Registration is now open for the Region K 2019 Senior Games. Senior Games is a holistic approach to body, mind and spirit staying fit, while enjoying the company of friends, family, spectators, and volunteers. Volunteers from all areas of the community are welcome. Athletic and SilverArts are open to individual’s age 50 and better. Sports events include basketball shooting, billiards, bocce, cornhole, golf, horseshoes, shuffleboard, softball throw, table tennis, cycling, track and fields events, pickleball, badminton, bowling, tennis and many more. The SilverArts category will include events in Heritage Arts such as knitting and quilting, Visual Arts such as drawing and photography, Literary Arts such as essay and poems and Performing Arts such as dance and vocals. The full list of events, schedule and event locations can be found in the registration packets, which can be picked up and turned in to the local county senior centers. Online registration is available at
torch.ncseniorgames.org
. Anyone interested in becoming involved in the Senior Games program as a staff member, sponsor or volunteer, please contact: Laura Yeatts
lyeatts@kerrtarcog.org
or call (252) 436-2040. For more information visit
www.ncseniorgames.org
. Registration deadline is February 22, 2019.
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Older Adult Mental Health First Aid Training
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On Friday,
January 11
, the Kerr-Tar Area Agency on Aging will partner with Cardinal Innovations Healthcare in holding an Older Adult Mental Health First Aid Training. The training will be from 8:30 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. at Vance-Granville Community College, located on 200 Community College Road in Henderson. This is an 8-hour public education program that introduces participants to the unique risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems in adults and older adults, builds understanding of the importance of early intervention, and teaches individuals how to help an adult/older adult in crisis or experiencing a mental health challenge. We encourage individuals working within healthcare, aging, mental health, human services or community outreach to attend. Deadline to register is January 9, 2019. To register, contact Harvey Holmes at (252) 436-2040 or
hholmes@kerrtarcog.org
.
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*NEW* Online Family Caregiver Support Group
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The Kerr-Tar Area Agency on Aging has created an Online Family Caregiver Support Group through its Facebook Page. The purpose of this group is to discuss information, events, questions and ideas that correlate with aging care amongst other caregivers. Caregiving is honorable act that is given by a family member, partner, friend or neighbor who advocates for and provides unpaid and on-going assistance to someone who is ill, disabled, or frail.
The main purpose of establishing this group is to target caregivers who are heavily confound to caregiving responsibilities and are
limited
with outings away from home. For many caregivers, it is difficult to regularly attend groups, services or enjoy time with the ones whom they love due to caregiver obligations. For many caregivers, it is quite challenging to find resources, supports and other levels of help. Each have different situations and complications. If interested in joining, log on to Facebook and follow
Kerr Tar Area Agency on Aging.
On the page, locate the group and request to join. For questions, comments or concerns, please contact Harvey Holmes at (252) 436-2040.
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Caregiver Support Groups
Caregiver support groups are offered monthly in the following counties: Franklin, Granville, Person, Vance and Warren. If you are a caregiver, or know someone who is, we highly recommend attending! Our caregiver support groups offer information, assistance, guidance, and support for all caregivers! The following times for support groups are listed below. For more information regarding caregiver support groups, please contact Harvey Holmes, Family Caregiver Specialist at hholmes@kerrtarcog.org or call (252) 436-2040.
Franklin County Caregiver Support Group
Louisburg Senior Center
2nd Monday @ 7:00 P.M
(919) 496-1131
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
Vance County Caregiver Support Group
Vance County Senior Center
3rd Tuesday @ 12:00 P.M.
(252) 430-0257
Warren County Caregiver Support Group
Warren County Senior Center
2nd Tuesday @ 3:30 P.M
(252) 257-3111
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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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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
Vacant
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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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