4-21-2023 BOC Regular Meeting Minutes

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I.H Opioid Settlement Discussion Lee County Attorney Whitney Parrish wanted to discuss this item with the group and provided background information on the process. Movement on the settlement funds started in 2021 when the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners put together the 555 committee to negotiate with the Attorney General on this litigation. Lee County signed the first initial settlement, which includes $4.2 million spread over 18-year period. Ms. Parrish said these funds will help, but they won't solve all of the issues. A subcommittee of Project Lazarus was formed to help guide the funding process. This group is made up of staff and local experts, but Ms. Parrish wants to expand the group to include City of Sanford and Town of Broadway representatives, as well as law enforcement and school representatives. The MCA allows for two options, either high-impact opioid abatement strategies, which includes individual specific services, or a holistic approach, which requires a strategic plan and community stakeholder input, but provides better snapshot of what resources are currently available and identify any gaps. Ms. Parrish initially favored option A, but determined option B may be better suited as it would allow the County to capture both immediate and long-term needs. Councilman Taylor recommended that Project Lazarus look at the City's Opioid Taskforce Report data as well. 1.1 Street Lighting Program Enhancement on Corridor Assistant to the City of Sanford Manager Holly Marosites provided an update on corridor street lighting enhancements planned along Horner Boulevard and Hawkins Avenue, as well as the intersection of Colon Road/U.S. Highway 1. Duke Energy completed a photometric study of lighting along Horner Boulevard and Hawkins Avenue to assess improvements needed to better light these corridors and concluded that some streetlights should be upgraded and some additional streetlights should be installed. The City anticipates completing these enhancements within FY 2023-24. Through Duke Energy, the City will enhance the lighting at the Colon Road/US Highway 1 intersection as well. Enhanced lighting will leverage the highway corridor, improve safety and provide a more inviting and established entrance into Sanford. This project includes the installation of 28 new lights. The City has not yet executed an NCDOT encroachment agreement, but anticipates project completion within FY 2023-24.