Archive for December, 2023

Board of Commissioners Meeting Notice – January 2, 2024

Posted December 29, 2023

The Granville County Board of Commissioners will meet at the Granville County Convention & Expo Center, 4185 Highway 15, Oxford, NC on Tuesday, January 2, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. for the regular scheduled meeting.   A copy of the agenda can be found here.       

Any questions should be directed to Debra Weary, Clerk to the Board, at 919-603-1307 or emailed to  debra.weary@granvillecounty.org 

The Board will gather at 6:30 p.m. prior to the meeting to take a board picture.  No business will be discussed. 

Opioid Program Coordinator Job Posting

Posted December 21, 2023

Rabies Cases in Granville County

Posted December 20, 2023

Granville County Animal Control Officers have confirmed three separate cases of rabid skunks in recent weeks on Harry Davis Road in Bullock, College Street in Oxford, and Oak Valley Drive near Old NC 75 in Stem. Two of these cases involved a rabid skunk fighting with a family dog, which serves as a reminder to make sure your pets are up to date on their rabies vaccines.

All cats, dogs, and ferrets are required to receive regular rabies vaccines in North Carolina, and failure to do so could result in a required quarantine or euthanasia if an unvaccinated pet is involved in an altercation with another rabid animal.

Make sure your pets are up to date on their rabies vaccines, and if they are not, schedule a vaccination with your veterinarian or contact the Granville County Animal Shelter to receive a vaccine for a fee of $6. Rabies vaccines are available during the shelter’s public operating hours Tuesday through Saturday.

Call the Granville County Animal Shelter at 919-693-6749 to schedule your pet’s vaccine appointment or to receive additional information about this statewide regulation. The shelter is located at 515 New Commerce Drive in Oxford.

NC Digital Equity Survey

Notice of Board of Commissioners Meeting Dates – 2024 Calendar Year

Granville Haunt Farm Receives Attraction of the Year

Posted December 13, 2023

The Granville Haunt Farm was recently recognized as the North Carolina Attraction of the Year by the North Carolina Travel Industry Association (NCTIA). The Granville County Tourism Development Authority (TDA) nominated Granville Haunt Farm for this award and assists the attraction with promotions.

In just a few short years, the “Drive-Through Drive-In” attraction has gone from a beloved local event to an attraction that draws visitors from across North Carolina and beyond. The unique attraction generates around 20,000 customers a year and has led to the creation of the “Christmas Farm Drive Through” which now takes place in December and draws over 9,000 visitors to Granville County. 

In 2023, Granville TDA’s marketing objective for the Haunt Farm was to direct even more audience to their website.  The campaign resulted in a total of 550,000 impressions, a 93% increase in traffic, 95% increase in users, and a 116% increase in page views.

The Haunt Farm now serves as the “anchor” event for fall events in Granville County, which also include the North Carolina Hot Sauce Contest and Festival and Masonic Home for Children Homecoming in Oxford, and the Creedmoor Music Festival.

Grey Blackwell, owner of Granville Haunt Farm stated “When we started Granville Haunt Farm nine years ago, we never anticipated the impact we would have on tourism in Granville County or that we might have the honor of winning the North Carolina Visitor Attraction of the Year Award. Angela Allen and the Granville County Tourism Development Authority’s support played a key role in this achievement. We’re grateful for their partnership in helping us bring memorable experiences to our visitors and humbled to receive this award.”

For more information on marketing efforts and other tourism events in Granville County, contact Angela Allen by email at angela.allen@granvillecounty.org or by phone at 919-693-6125. Learn more about upcoming events by visiting the TDA website at www.visitgranvillecnc.com

For more information on the Granville Haunt Farm visit www.granvillehauntfarm.com  or for Granvile Christmas Farm visit https://www.granvillechristmasfarm.com/.

To learn more about the North Carolina Travel Industry Association, visit www.nctia.travel

2024 Granville County Tax Listing Period

Posted December 12, 2023

Residents of Granville County, please watch your mail for the 2024 listing forms.  You should list any of the following items owned as of January 1, 2024.

– All new construction and improvements made to real property during 2023.

– Unregistered vehicles (Registered or licensed vehicles should not be listed)

– Business personal property including IRP, multi-year or permanently tagged vehicles/trailers

– Non-household personal property (ex. Boats and motors, jet skis and airplanes)

Listing period is during the month of January.  Failing to list during this period will result in a 10% late list penalty for the tax levied.  All listings, including those submitted by mail, should be received in the Tax Department, or postmarked by the US Postal Service within the listing period, January 1, 2024, through January 31, 2024.

Application deadlines for exemptions:

– Elderly, Disabled, Circuit Breaker and Disabled Veterans, January 1 – June 1, 2024

– Present Use Value deferments and all other exemptions, January 1 – January 31, 2024

Applications may be obtained from the Tax Department.

The Granville County Tax Department staff will be available by appointment, for assistance, during the listing period, Monday through Wednesday and Friday 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and Thursday 9:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at 141 Williamsboro St. Oxford, NC  27565.

Addressing Concerns with Landfill Operations RFP

Posted December 11, 2023

Granville County staff and the Board of Commissioners have recently become aware of a petition on change.org in opposition to one possible outcome of a current Request for Proposals (RFP) for Granville County Solid Waste Operations Services. The RFP, developed by staff with the assistance of the County’s landfill consultant, Garrett & Moore, was issued in October 2023.  Landfill operations had not been competitively bid in several decades, and the landfill is operated at a substantial annual loss even after considering “tipping fees” – the charges people and companies pay per ton to dump trash at the landfill.  County administration believed it important to see whether other pricing and operating options might be available and prove to be worth considering, so the RFP developed by staff was written broadly to solicit a wide range of proposals.

County administration is in full agreement that the way we operate our landfill is and should be a matter of public interest.  Proposals received by Granville County will be carefully evaluated and brought forward to the County Commissioners along with staff’s recommendation at a public meeting in early 2024 where public input will be welcomed.  Further questions about the RFP can be directed to Jason Falls, Environmental Services Director, at jason.falls@granvillecounty.org

Medicaid Expansion Begins in North Carolina

Posted December 7, 2023

North Carolina expanded who can get Medicaid on December 1.

Adults ages 19-64 earning up to 138% of the federal poverty line (e.g., singles earning about $20,000/year or families of three earning about $34,000/year) may be eligible.

Visit medicaid.nc.gov to learn more about eligibility and how to apply or call Granville County Social Services at 919-693-1511. You can also apply in-person, phone or mailed applications at your local Social Services Office. The processing time for applications can be up to 45 days and those submitted online may be processed faster.

In addition to the Oxford Social Services Office (410 West Spring Street, Oxford) and the Butner-Creedmoor Office (2531 East Lyon Station Road, Creedmoor), Social Services staff will assist residents who may be interested in applying at “drop-box” locations at the Granville County Senior Center (107 Lanier Street, Oxford), the Berea Branch Library (1211 US Highway 158, Oxford), and the Stovall Branch Library (300 Main Street, Stovall).

Coverage provided under Medicaid is comprehensive, including services like primary care, hospital stays, maternity care, vision and hearing, wellness visits, emergency care, mental health, and more. Current beneficiaries with full Medicaid coverage won’t see any changes.

Board of Commissioners Meeting Recap – December 4, 2023

Posted December 6, 2023

The Granville County Board of Commissioners held a regular meeting on Monday, December 4 at the Granville County Convention and Expo Center. The meeting featured the election of Commissioner Timothy Karan (District 6) as the new Chair and Commissioner Jimmy Gooch (District 7) as the new Vice-Chair. Both will serve in these roles until December 2024. Karan is in his fourth term on the Board of County Commissioners after first being elected in 2010. This is the second time he has served as Board Chair after previously holding the same role from 2016-2017. Karan also served as Vice-Chair in 2014-2015 and 2022-2023. Gooch was appointed to the Board of Commissioners in 2020 and elected to his first full term in 2022. This is his first time serving as Vice-Chair.

In other business, the Board of Commissioners approved a request from Social Services Director LaToya Toussaint to add seven positions to manage the anticipated workload increase from the recently implemented expansion of Medicaid eligibility in North Carolina. Caseloads are expected to increase by 45% as approximately 3,000 to 4,000 residents in Granville County become eligible under the new requirements. Toussaint requested that the Board of Commissioners approve seven positions (four Medicaid Eligibility Case Workers, one Medicaid Supervisor, one Trainer/Quality Assurance, and one Accountant). These positions are all partially cost-shared with the NC Department of Health and Human Services.

The Board of Commissioners also conducted the following business on December 4:

– Received an update from Human Relations Commission Chair Rev. John Gooch.

– Approved the 2024 meeting schedule.

– Approved the board, committee, and liaison assignments list.

– Approved 2024 bonds for county officials (Finance Director, Tax Administrator, Sheriff, and Register of Deeds).

– Approved a pump station site maintenance contract for Triangle North Granville Business Park from E. Christian and Son at a cost of $13,912.50.

– Approved a resolution of support for a grant application from Granville County Public Schools to the NC Department of Public Instruction to construct a new middle school facility at the former G.C. Hawley site in Creedmoor.

– Approved a compensation increase for members of the Jury Commission from $300 per year to $500 per year.

– Approved a proposal from Civic Plus to host and provide a content management system for the Granville County website and to complete a full redesign and deployment of the county website at a cost of $62,734.50 for year one and a recurring cost of $22,464.30 beginning in year two.

– Approved a proposal from Civic Plus to provide agenda management software and services at a cost of $14,266.50 for year one and a recurring cost of $14,178.15 beginning in year two.

– Reappointed Ethel Anderson (District 1) and Gary Kanady (District 6) to the Kerr Tar Advisory Council on Aging.

– Reappointed Zelodis Jay (District 1), Tony Cozart (District 4), and Timothy Karan (District 6) to the Granville Health System Board of Trustees.

The next meeting of the Granville County Board of Commissioners is scheduled for Tuesday, January 2 at 7:00 p.m. at the Granville County Convention and Expo Center.

To stay informed about upcoming meetings of the Board of Commissioners, visit the Granville County website www.granvillecounty.org where you can sign up for the “Sunshine List” and follow the county on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/GranvilleCountyGov.