Greene County Commissioner Objects to Voting "Blind" on Insurance Contract, Board Approves it 4-1
One Greene County commissioner voted no on a year-long insurance contract after pointing out the Board had been given no information beyond a staff memo. The measure passed anyway.
The Greene County Board of Commissioners met on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at the Greene County Operations Center for its regular monthly meeting. The Board approved the meeting agenda as presented, with no changes requested.
Public Hearing on FY28 Transportation Grants
The Board first held a public hearing on the Greene Community Transportation Program's proposed application for Fiscal Year 2028 grant funding, to be submitted to the North Carolina Department of Transportation. Transportation Director Kim Howell presented the item, which covered the county's annual 5311 Administrative grant, the Combined Capital grant, and the 5310 Operating grant, a program the county had applied for the previous fiscal year for the first time.
According to the funding request included in the agenda packet, the county sought $137,715 in 5311 Administrative funding, requiring a 15 percent local match of $20,654; $100,000 in 5310 Operating funding, requiring a 50 percent local match of $50,000; and $221,200 in Combined Capital funding, requiring a 10 percent local match of $22,120. The total funding request came to $458,915, with a total local share of $92,777.
Howell noted that part of the funding would go toward replacing two transportation vans. Vice-Chairman Jerry Jones asked what happens to vehicles that are replaced. Howell explained that five vans had been recycled to other county agencies the previous year, but that this year's two vans would instead be sold at a state auction, since no other county agency had expressed a need for them.
Following discussion, the Board closed the public hearing and approved the 5311 Certification Form, authorizing staff to execute and file the FY28 grant application and any resulting grant and cooperative agreements with the State of North Carolina.
Consent Agenda
The Board approved the Consent Agenda as presented, which included the following items.
Minutes
The minutes of the August 17, 2026 regular meeting were approved.
Late Property Tax Relief Applications
The Board considered two late applications for the Elderly or Disabled Property Tax Exclusion. Under North Carolina law (G.S. 105-282.1(a1)), the county assessor does not have authority to approve a late application for this exclusion; however, the Board of Commissioners may approve one filed after the listing period upon a showing of good cause. If approved, the exclusion applies only to the current tax year and is not retroactive.
Tax Administrator Stephanie Wiggins prepared the report for the Board's consideration, confirming that both applicants and their parcels met the underlying eligibility requirements for the exclusion; both applicants cited having only recently learned of the program as their reason for filing late. The Board approved both late applications.
Releases and Refunds
The Board also approved a batch of ad valorem tax releases and refunds prepared by Wiggins, totaling roughly $3,939 in releases and $919 in refunds. As with the late tax relief applications,
Three releases, totaling roughly $2,829, for vehicles or a boat that taxpayers demonstrated were properly sitused and taxed in another county or state, including one boat sitused and taxed in Carteret County, one vehicle registered in Idaho for the full prior tax period, and one vehicle sitused in Illinois. One release of $408.94 for a taxpayer who provided proof of a military exemption based on a state of legal residence other than North Carolina. One release of $51.75 for a taxpayer who had traded in a vehicle and transferred the tag to a newly purchased vehicle. Two releases totaling $650 for solid waste fees billed in error, where service was actually provided by a private hauler rather than the county.
Four refunds, totaling roughly $146, were issued for vehicles sold, and tags surrendered during the tax year, prorated for the number of months the vehicle was no longer owned. One refund of $531.69 for taxes paid to Greene County in error, where the vehicle was determined to be sitused in Wayne County, with the payment being redirected accordingly. Two refunds, totaling roughly $241, related to high mileage adjustments, including one instance where an antique vehicle tag had been exchanged for a standard tag.
Public Comments and County Attorney's Comments
No members of the public had signed up to speak, so there were no public comments. The County Attorney also had no comments to bring before the Board.
Appointment to County Planning Board
County Manager Kyle DeHaven presented the recommendation to fill a vacancy on the Planning Board created by the retirement of longtime Chairman Leslie Mooring. Planning Director Brandon Sutton had advertised the vacancy twice in The Standard, with the application period open for several weeks, but only one application was received.
The applicant, Chad Bradicich, is a Greene County resident who serves on the Arba Fire Department Board of Directors and the Wheat Swamp Christian Church Board of Directors. In his application, Bradicich wrote that he wanted to serve because, "As a citizen of this community, I want to ensure that our future is the brightest it can possibly be. I also want to make sure we grow in a direction that will benefit all citizens." Sutton recommended his appointment, and the Board approved it.
Budget Amendment for Meals on Wheels Grant
DeHaven next presented a $10,000 budget amendment for the Greene County Senior Center, effective August 17, 2026. The funding stemmed from a $10,000 grant the Senior Center was awarded by Meals on Wheels Nationals to expand the range of meals it could provide to program participants, including additional breakfasts and shelf-stable emergency meal boxes. Under the amendment, the full $10,000 in grant revenue was budgeted for expenditures, with $2,000 allocated to supplies and the remaining $8,000 allocated to meal costs. The request was submitted by Senior Center Director Sharon Harrison. The Board approved the amendment.
Budget Amendment for ABC Distributions
DeHaven also presented a $7,200 budget amendment for the Sheriff's Office, effective July 1, 2026. The funding came from the Greene County ABC Board as part of an arrangement to compensate the Sheriff's Office for law enforcement checks and monthly compliance reports tied to alcohol sales in the county, work intended to help ensure compliance with alcohol laws and support public safety.
At the Board's August 17, 2026 meeting, the ABC Board reported roughly $47,731 in net profit for fiscal year 2025 to 2026 and indicated it would pay the Sheriff's Department $1,800 per quarter for this work, which amounts to $7,200 annually and matches the amendment presented. Under the amendment, the $7,200 was budgeted as revenue under the ABC Law Enforcement Distribution account and as a corresponding expenditure under the Sheriff's Office's ABC Restricted Expense account. The request was submitted by Finance Officer Sandy Shirtz. The Board approved the amendment.
Insurance Broker Services Contract for 2027
The final item presented by DeHaven was a recommendation to award the county's insurance broker services contract for the 2027 calendar year. He explained that the Human Resources and Finance Department had issued a Request for Proposals for ancillary insurance brokerage services, received multiple responses, scored them using an evaluation matrix, and determined that Mark III Insurance was the highest-scoring respondent.
Before the vote, Commissioner Derek Burress objected to being asked to approve the contract without more information. "I can't speak to this because I don't have any information," Burress said. "All I have is a budget memo, and I'm not going to award a contract with nothing more than that in front of me." Burress was also unsure whether he was missing pages from his agenda packet, noting that he had two copies of the same memo rather than any additional supporting material.
Aside from the verbal summary given at the meeting, the only material provided to the Board on this item was a single-page memo naming Mark III as the recommended vendor. The RFP responses, the evaluation matrix used to score the proposals, the identities or bids of the other respondents, and the actual terms of the proposed contract were not included in the agenda packet, and none of that material was presented to the Board at the meeting. In effect, the Board was asked to approve a full year of the county's insurance brokerage services on the strength of a staff recommendation alone, without ever seeing the underlying numbers or contract language for themselves.
The recommendation passed by a vote of four to one, with Commissioner Derek Burress casting the dissenting vote.
Commissioners' Reports and Recommendations
Vice Chairman Jerry Jones reminded the board of a ribbon-cutting event at FRC East scheduled for September 17th at the Global Transport Park.
Commissioner Ray Johnson announced that Ormondsville Original Free Will Baptist Church’s annual barbecue chicken dinner and auction fundraiser was set for September 19th, and later announced that the Greene Central Diamond Club would be hosting a golf tournament on September 24th at Cutter Creek to benefit the high school and middle school's softball and baseball teams.
Commissioner Derek Burress congratulated Donald Clark, the C.B. Aycock girls' tennis coach and longtime Greene Central coach, on reaching 500 career wins coaching girls' tennis, noting that only two other coaches in the state had reached that mark. Clark, a Greene County resident, coached tennis at Greene Central for 26 years before retiring from the school in 2013, compiling a 437-186 record there and winning two state championships with the Rams. He has continued coaching in the years since, most recently at C.B. Aycock High School.
Burress also recognized Greene County Public Works employee Bennie Johnson, who was seen giving tackle boxes to a child fishing at the creek during a work break.
Chairman Bennie Heath recognized the Greene Central High School football team, which lost its season opener to Wilson Prep, the reigning 1A state champion, by a score of 30 to 28, praising the team for a hard-fought game.
Commissioner Bobby Taylor reported that the recent Lenoir Community College Foundation fundraiser had netted approximately $22,000 to $23,000, with proceeds supporting tuition-free LCC attendance for Greene County students.
Adjournment
With no further business, the Board adjourned the meeting.
