AUGUST 2019 NEWSLETTER
CURRENT EVENTS

  • Next TAC/TCC meeting is Thursday, August 29th at 3:00PM at the COG Office.

  • COG Board Meeting will be Thursday, August 29th at 7:00PM at the COG Office.

  • The Annual Awards Banquet will be Thursday, September 26th at the Festival House in Timberlake, Person County.
State Accepting Applications for Projects
to be Funded by VW Settlement
N.C. Department of Environmental Quality The Division of Air Quality has released applications for two RFPs for projects that achieve significant reductions in emissions.
Under the Diesel Bus and Vehicle Program:
  • $24.5 million will be available
  • 40% will be allocated for school bus replacement
  • Projects can be submitted by local, state and tribal governments, public or nonprofit organizations or eligible public-private partnerships
Under the DC Fast Charge program:
  • $3.4 million will be available for the installation of Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Charging Infrastructure
  • Projects in designated corridors will receive priority to expand the state’s charging infrastructure network
  • Projects can be submitted by eligible businesses, incorporated nonprofits, and state, local, tribal or municipal government agencies

Interested applicants can find the applications, RFPs and additional program information at: https://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/air-quality/motor-vehicles-and-air-quality/volkswagen-settlement . The deadline to apply is 5:00 pm ET on September 30, 2019 .
Franklin County Bridge Replacement
The N.C. Department of Transportation will close Pine Street at West Lake Road beginning at 7:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 31. This permanent closure is part of the realignment of N.C. 56. A NCDOT contractor will be constructing a cul-de-sac. Driveway access will be maintained for residents during construction. Motorists should use North Durham Avenue and turn left onto Sunset Road to get to Pine Street.
PLANNING & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
2019 Tentative TCC/TAC Meeting Dates
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 CANCELLED
·        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
Important Meeting Notice: The TAC and TCC will not meet in June or July, but in August. More information will be
forthcoming.  
SPOT P6.0 Update
KTRPO staff will meet with staff from both the NCDOT Aviation and Rail Division on August 14, 2019 at the NCDOT offices in Raleigh. These meetings will enable staff and the P6.0 Subcommittee to select competitive projects in the allocation of local points. Members of the P6.0 Subcommittee have been verified and meetings will begin late August or early September. The KTRPO thanks those individuals for serving on the P 6.0 Subcommittee. 
Location(s) of Vehicle Charging Stations in Louisburg
In April 2019, the Town of Louisburg was awarded $25,000 as part of the Duke Energy EV Charging Infrastructure Support Project initiative to build five new charging stations. The EV charging locations include: Louisburg Town Hall, Louisburg College, the Franklin County Courthouse, and two other Town-owned parking lots.
To view available stations throughout the region and state, visit https://www.pluginnc.com/find-a-charging-station/ or https://www.electrifyamerica.com/locate-charger
Legislative Update
In July, Governor Cooper signed into law Senate Bill 606 (Session Law 2019-148) entitled: An Act to Prioritize the use of Native North Carolina Trees, Shrubs, Vines, Grasses, and Legumes on Highway Rights-of-Way . As a result of this legislative, the NCDOT will now begin the policy of selecting, planting, and protecting, native North Carolina vegetation for the purposes of erosion control, landscaping, and general protection of the state’s highways. 
AGING
Senior Tarheel Legislators
Our regions' Senior Tarheel Legislature representatives attended the recent meeting in Raleigh to hear the latest on the State's aging plan, updates on aging legislation and the activity of the General Assembly. Speakers included Joyce Massey-Smith, Director of the NC Division of Aging and Adult Services, Karen Brinson Bell, Executive Director of the NC State Board of Elections, who presented information about voting in North Carolina. Misty Piekaar-McWilliams, attorney with the Division of Aging and Adult Services, presented information about the importance of legal documents; Dr. Mary Anne Salmon, with UNC CARES, discussed the benefits of senior center participation for adults and the need for additional funding for senior centers across the state. Rebecca Freeman, with the NC Division of Aging and Adult Services, described the many benefits of senior centers, particularly with respect to combatting social isolation among older adults. Bill Lamb, Executive Director with Friends of Residents in Long Term Care, shared information about his group’s efforts to increase the personal needs allowance for adult care home residents, as well as other issues related to improving care in long-term care facilities.
The region's STHL delegates play an important role in representing our counties at the meetings. They bring back the latest news to keep the region up to date, and then champion aging initiatives among the region's aging support organizations. 

Would like to be a delegate or alternate? We would love to have you join us! Call us at 252-436-2040 for more information .
Smoke Detectors
Kerr-Tar AAA and the Red Cross partner to distribute and install smoke detectors: Do you already have smoke detectors? Have you checked them recently to make sure they work? Are they more than 10 years old? The Red Cross will provide and install smoke detectors, at no charge, to region residents who request them via our Senior Centers. Their state of the art smoke detectors are good for 10 years and you never need to replace a battery. Contact your senior center to sign up, or call 252-436-2040. 
Virtual Dementia Tour 
On Friday, September 13 th , the Kerr-Tar AAA will conduct the Virtual Dementia Tour from 9:30 A.M-3:00 P.M at Sarepta Baptist Church, located at 295 Gillis Alson Rd, Warrenton, NC 27589. The Virtual Dementia Tour is a sensitivity training that allows individuals to see what it might be like to live with dementia. Caregivers, community organizations, business leaders and others are encouraged to attend. Space is LIMITED. If you are interested in taking the tour, please contact Sarepta Baptist Church at (252) 257-9200 to sign up!
Family Caregiver Support Program
The National Family Caregiver Support Program (FCSP) funds a range of supports that assist family and informal caregivers to care for their loved ones at home for as long as possible.Eligible family caregivers include:

·          Family member or informal caregiver providing care to an individual 60 years of
age or older.
·          Family member or informal caregiver providing care to an individual of any age
with Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders.
·          Grandparents and other relatives (not birth or adoptive parents) 55 years of age
and older providing care to children under the age of 18.
·          Grandparents and other relatives (not birth or adoptive parents) 55 years of age
and older providing care to an adult age 18-59 with a disability.

Our Family Caregiver Support Program is designed to provide five basic services to unpaid caregivers to enable them to more adequately fulfill their role as family caregivers. These services include:
 
1.        Information to caregivers about available services
2.        Assistance to caregivers in gaining access to services
3.        Individual counseling, support groups, training
4.        Respite Care
5.        Supplemental Services

For more information, please contact Harvey Holmes, Family Caregiver Resource Specialist, at (252) 436-2040 or hholmes@kerrtarcog.org.
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 Hospital Cafeteria Meeting Room
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

WORKFORCE
Kent Cash Jr completed his Associate of Arts Degree December 2018. Upon his graduation, a plan was in place to transfer to Elizabeth City State University for the 2019 Spring semester. Piedmont Community College NCWorks Next Gen program assisted him both financially and academically during his attainment of his associate degree. He lacked guidance since he was the first in his family to go to college. Kent came to us needing help with some expenses that his family and he could not afford. During the intake process, barriers were identified that made him eligible for PCC’s NextGen program. He was skills deficient in math and he improved in this area every time he was retested annually. Kent worked closely with the case manager to develop a plan of how he would accomplish his educational goals. Kent attended monthly work sessions, Youth Summits, and Campus tours. He enjoyed and discovered many things through participation PCC’s NCWorks NextGen program. He was a faithful participant. He needed assistance with paying for his books for class and transportation expenses. He also needed a part-time job so that he could afford his remaining expenses. Kent obtained a part time job at Food Lion as a stocker. Food Lion worked with him on his work schedule so that he could meet his educational schedule. During his time at PCC, Kent maintained his focus, with the help of NextGen staff and kept working towards his goal of graduating and transferring to Elizabeth City State University. He maintained his grades and made the Dean’s List most semesters. His determination to follow his dream of not merely getting an Associate Degree, but obtaining a Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Communication. 
Kent just completed his first semester at Elizabeth City State University doing well in his transition from a two-year institution to a four-year institution.  He is well on his way to his degree in Sports Communication with the goal of becoming a sports reporter. We wish him well and much success!!
In an effort to help support students in achieving high graduation and staying in college at NC community colleges, Governor Roy Cooper announced the Finish Line Grant on July 12, 2018. The Finish Line Grants program uses funds from the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) to help community college students cover unforeseen financial emergencies like medical needs, car repairs and childcare so they can complete their training. 
For more infomration on how this can help in our region, PCC Finishline Grant
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.
Looking for a job - look at www.NCWORKS.gov  
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



Executive Director
Diane Cox

Planning & Development
Michael Kelly

Workforce Development
Vincent Gilreath

Aging
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.