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limited options for properties. II. Discussion with Representative John Sauls and Senator Jim Burgin regarding local goals and issues Representative John Sauls stated that there is $1,655,000 currently held up in the State budget that would be otherwise be allocated to Lee County. The Legislature adjourned on January 14th until April for the short session. During the interim, Representative Sauls was appointed as Vice Chair of Education Oversite and on the School Safety Oversite Committee. The House passed the budget, but it didn't pass the Senate. Senator Burgin stated that he is working on appropriations for health care. He spent time with a non- profit on the campus of Dorthea Dix that treats people for alcohol and substance abuse. Senator Burgin stated that the State is wasting millions of dollars a year due to housing issues following treatment center stays. Senator Burgin will be speaking in the future on topics related to mental health. 45-50% of everyone incarcerated has a mental health issue. Now between the Department of Public Safety and DHHS, the rural hospitals are struggling to stay open. Senator Burgin provided that he would like to contract with local hospitals to put people in hospitals near their families to place people in a controlled facility that are in end of life situations. There is currently about 400 people that are in jails in end of life situations. Senator Burgin stated that he is looking for ways to expand healthcare to more people without a full-blown Medicaid expansion. The issue is there is no way to determine the cost. He is looking to introduce a bill to allow Medicaid for women who have babies. Senator Burgin added that he would like to extend healthcare for mothers to provide coverage 6 months after the birth of the child and to keep mothers covered if they are working on gaining an education to get employment. He also provided that the Legislature is looking into NC FAST and alternatives and hoping to look into some alternatives to make it better. In Harnett County, 27 additional people had to be hired to assist in running NC FAST. The program is currently so fragmented and compartmentalized that a lot of unnecessary time is being spent when the system could be better integrated. People currently have to spend a lot of time entering information that has to be reentered when a recipient moves somewhere else. On any given day, there are 200 people in emergency rooms across the state that are waiting to get a bed in a mental health facility. $1.5 million currently is in the unadopted State budget which is allocated to the airport. There are 160 airplanes at the airport and a waiting list for hangers. $100,000 of the budget is for the NC Veterans Committee which wants to build a disabled veterans area in Broadway. Burgin also stated that there is $250,000 coming from the Senate. $50,000 is intended for Outreach Mission. 2