Archive for May, 2023

Recommended Budget Boosts Pay for All County Employees

Posted May 30, 2023

The proposed fiscal year 2023-2024 budget includes significant efforts to ensure that Granville County is able to retain and attract the best employees to serve this community. Granville’s location serves as both a blessing and a curse providing an attractive location in the Raleigh-Durham Metropolitan Area but forcing Granville to compete with much larger and well-resourced jurisdictions to attract and retain talent.

In recent years, the Board of Commissioners has made a concerted effort to provide to attract and retain the best workforce possible, while also being careful stewards of the tax dollars paid by Granville residents. Recommendations from a pay study were implemented in 2021, but the labor market and the cost of living have changed so dramatically in the past two years that an even more thoughtful and proactive effort was needed. Exit interviews with departing employees have consistently shown that Granville’s pay becoming competitive with our neighboring jurisdictions would have a significant impact on retaining employees who are consistently “poached” by jurisdictions offering compensation packages that Granville County has not been able to compete with.

A previous post detailed improvements to public safety employee pay (Sheriff’s Office, Detention Center, and 911 Emergency Communications).

All county employees will receive a 4% cost of living adjustment and will be eligible for the maximum 4% merit pay increase. All non-law enforcement employees will also be eligible for an additional 1% employer match to their 401k, bringing the employer total to 2% (law enforcement employees receive a 6% employer 401k contribution as required by state law). County employees will be eligible to eliminate their required monthly contribution toward employee health insurance premium costs (if they meet the requirements of the county’s wellness program) and will see a 25% reduction in health insurance premiums paid to insure spouses and children.

All told, these unprecedented increases in employee compensation can be managed without an increase to the county’s tax rate. The hope is that remaining competitive and investing in Granville’s current and future workforce will ensure that county residents can expect to receive exemplary service and programs for years to come. The Board of Commissioners recognizes that this will be an ongoing process and does not expect any of these initiatives to permanently fix the issues faced by law enforcement and all public sector employers across the United States but views it as a critical first step.

For more information about the proposed improvements to employee compensation, view the graphics below or view the County Manager’s budget presentation. Minutes 18:46 through 27:53 detail employee pay and benefits.

Spring Clean-Out Collects Over 25,000 Pounds of Waste

Posted May 30, 2023

On Saturday May 20, the Granville County Convention and Expo Center hosted another successful recycling and hazardous waste disposal event. By the end of the day, over 25,000 pounds of materials had been collected for recycling and safe disposal by vendors.

Teresa Baker, Recycling and Sustainability Coordinator for Granville County and Granville County Public Schools, reported the following totals from the Spring Clean-Out event:

• Veolia Environmental Services – 3,592 pounds of paint plus an additional 5,620 pounds of hazardous household waste.
• Department of Agriculture Pesticides Division – 349 pounds of pesticides.
• Green for Life (GFL) – 2,755 pounds of scrap metal.
• Shred Ace – 8,340 pounds of shredded paper.
• Granville County Sheriff’s Office – 103.2 pounds of medications and medical waste plus 40.1 pounds of ammunition.
• METech Recycling – 2,882 pounds of electronics.
• Interstate Batteries – 473 pounds of various batteries.
• RMR Book Recycling – 1,020 pounds.
• Dart Containers – 3/4 of a trailer of polystyrene

“Residents who participate in Granville County’s clean out events leave knowing that these waste materials will either be recycled or properly disposed of instead of harming the local environment,” said Baker. “A huge thank you to all vendors, staff, volunteers, and participants who helped make the Spring Clean-Out event a great success.”

For more information about safely recycling and disposing of waste in Granville County, visit the Granville County website. 

Award Winning Quilt on Display at Berea Library

Posted May 26, 2023

Visitors to the Berea Branch Library of the Granville County Library System will get a special welcome thanks to the generosity and creativity of one local quilter. A floral queen-sized quilt that was hand appliqued and hand quilted by Pauline O’Neal, 95, of Henderson is on display in the library this summer. It was submitted for display by her daughter, Phyllis O’Neal of Oxford. Both women are Berea Library patrons.

The quilt was awarded “first premium blue ribbon” in the in-home furnishing category at the North Carolina State Fair in 2008. O’Neal’s amazing work was noted in the judges’ comments, which included “elegant colors, super applique.”

Special thanks to the Lord Granville Agricultural Association for lending a quilt rack for this display. If you have a quilt that you would like to include in their 16^th Annual Harvest Show, they are welcoming additions. For more information visit their website.

The community is encouraged to come see the quilt along with all the Berea Branch Library regularly has to offer. The Berea Branch Library is located at 1211 US Highway 158, Oxford and normal operating hours are Tuesdays and Fridays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Thursdays 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Those interested are also invited to attend meetings of the Quilt Club that meets regularly at the Stovall Branch Library located at 300 Main Street, Stovall.

For more information about the quilt display, contact the Berea Branch Library at 919-693-1231. For more information about the Quilt Club, contact the Stovall Branch Library at 919-693-5722.

To learn more about the Granville County Library System and all programming, including special summer reading events for adults and children, visit the library website.

Board of Commissioners Special Meeting Notice – June 6, 2023

Posted May 26, 2023 – Updated May 31, 2023

All interested persons please take notice that the Granville County Board of Commissioners will hold a Special Meeting on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, at 12:00 p.m. at the Granville Expo & Convention Center, 4185 Highway 15, Oxford, NC and will immediately go into executive session pursuant to General Statute 143-318.11(a)(6) for the County Manager’s evaluation. 

Recommended Budget Boosts Public Safety Employee Pay

Posted May 26, 2023

The proposed fiscal year 2023-2024 budget includes significant efforts to ensure that Granville County is able to retain and attract the best employees to serve our community now and for years to come. Granville’s location serves as both a blessing and a curse, providing an attractive location in the Raleigh-Durham Metropolitan Area but forcing Granville to compete with much larger and well-resourced jurisdictions who are much more easily able to offer significantly higher pay and benefits packages. Employees are able to easily move to one of these employers without relocating and uprooting their families.

In recent years, the Board of Commissioners has made a concerted effort to attract and retain the best workforce possible while also being careful stewards of the tax dollars paid by Granville residents. Recommendations from a pay study were implemented in 2021, but the labor market and the cost of living have changed so dramatically in the past two years that an even more thoughtful and proactive effort was needed.

Perhaps the most impacted segment of current workforce compensation and turnover trends is our public safety employees. The market for employees with this skill set has proven to be volatile from an employer’s point of view for several years running. The Board of Commissioners has taken several initiatives to ensure that these critical departments remain staffed with well-trained and dedicated employees. First, Patrol Deputies and Telecommunicators will receive paid meal breaks as an acknowledgement that these employees remain “on-duty” and do not receive a true break during their meal-time. Pay will also reflect a new requirement for Detention Officers’ 15-minute advance reporting time that ensures a professional and orderly shift change. Second, employees in Public Safety departments (Sheriff’s Office, Detention Center, and 911 Emergency Communications) will receive a 4% cost-of-living adjustment. Additionally, entry-level law enforcement and detention officer positions will receive an 8% market rate adjustment. Third, all these employees will be eligible for a maximum 4% merit pay increase. These changes will increase the average pay for Granville County Sheriff’s Office personnel by approximately 15%, much more in line with our regional competitors. Finally, all county employees will be eligible to eliminate their required monthly contribution toward employee health insurance premium costs (if they meet the requirements of the county’s wellness program) and will see a 25% reduction in health insurance premiums paid to insure spouses and children.

All told, these unprecedented increases in employee compensation can be managed without an increase to the county’s tax rate. The hope is that remaining competitive and investing in Granville’s current and future workforce will ensure that county residents can expect to receive exemplary service and programs for years to come. The Board of Commissioners recognizes that this will be an ongoing process and does not expect any of these initiatives to permanently fix the issues faced by law enforcement and all public sector employers across the United States but views it as a critical first step.

For more information about the proposed improvements to employee compensation, view the graphics below or view the County Manager’s budget presentation. Minutes 18:46 through 27:53 detail employee pay and benefits.

Public Meeting Notice – June 22, 2023

Posted May 25, 2023

Notice of Public Meeting and Public Hearing on the Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year 2023-2024

All interested persons, please take notice that the Granville County Tourism Development Authority will meet Thursday, June 22, at 2:00 p.m. to conduct regular business and hold a public hearing on the proposed budget for fiscal year 2023-2024.

The meeting will take place at Granville Expo Center located at 4185 US-15, Oxford, NC. There will be a Zoom phone/video conference link for the meeting also.

The public is welcome to attend meeting, but participants need to register with Tourism Director, Angela Allen by June 20^th  to be given access.

Allen can be contacted by email at angela.allen@granvillecounty.org or call 919-693-6125.

Granville County Donates Vehicles to VGCC

Posted May 24, 2023

Notice of Evidentiary Hearing – June 5, 2023

Posted May 23, 2023

The Granville County Board of Commissioners at their meeting on Monday, June 5, 2023 will hold an evidentiary hearing at 7:00 PM or later at the Granville Expo and Convention Center at 4185 US Highway 15 South, Oxford, N.C. 27565.  

The purpose of the evidentiary hearing is to hear public comments on the following major special use application:             

Major Special Use Application

SU-1-2023: Cellco Partnership d/b/a Verizon Wireless, Applicant, property off of Lester-McFarland Road

Cellco Partnership d/b/a Verizon Wireless is requesting a major special use permit to place a 199’ lattice wireless communication tower with a fenced equipment compound on property owned by Lawrence and Anita Dixon.  The property is located off of Lester-McFarland Road.    The property is zoned Agricultural Residential 40 (AR-40).  The property that the wireless communication tower would be located on is specifically identified as tax parcel map number #096600067049. 

Upcoming Programs at the Senior Center

Posted May 19, 2023

The Granville County Senior Center has several ongoing and upcoming courses for a diverse array of interests available for registration. Upcoming courses touch on history, language, arts and crafts, dance, gardening, and end-of-life planning.

Current course highlights include:

• Why the Jews? Anti-Semitism Then and Now: Mondays through June 26
• Introduction to the German Language: Thursdays through June 1
• Planning for your Furry Friends After you are Gone: May 25
• Coffee and Conversations – Foundation Planting with Security in Mind: May 26
• Flowering Flamingo Art Project: May 31 (must pre-register)
• Introduction to Belly Dancing: June 1
• Basket Making: June 14 (must pre-register)

For more information, please contact the Granville County Senior Center at 919-693-1930. To view course flyers, visit the Senior Services Facebook page or the Granville County website.

Fire Commission Meeting Notice – May 31, 2023

Posted May 18, 2023

The Granville County Fire Commission will meet at Granville County Expo and Convention Center, 4185 US HWY 15, Oxford, NC on Wednesday, May 31, 2023 at 6:00 p.m.

Any questions should be directed to Jason Reavis, Emergency Management Director, at 919-603-1310 or emailed to  jason.reavis@granvillecounty.org