JUNE 2019 NEWSLETTER

CURRENT EVENTS

·     KTREDC Meeting will be Tuesday, June 18th at 8:00AM at the COG Office.

 

·     Elder Abuse Awareness Walk will be held Tuesday, June 18th at 9:00AM at Terrell Lane Middle School, Louisburg, NC.

 

·     Region K CAC Board Meeting will be Thursday, June 27th at 6:00PM at the COG Office.

 

·     COG Board Meeting will be Thursday, June 27th at 7:00PM at the COG Office.

Regional Opportunity Zone Workshop

The Council of Governments with the assistance of Jeanne Milliken Bonds and Hillary Sherman will be hosting a regional Opportunity Zone Workshop on Thursday, June 20^th at the COG offices in Henderson. The workshop will start at 1:00 pm, with lunch being served at 12:30. The COG is fortunate to have Jeanne and Hillary from the Federal Reserve and EDA respectively to discuss the legislation surrounding Opportunity Zones, federal funding, and the requirements necessary for creating an effective Prospectus to potential investors. If interested, please RSVP to Michael Kelly at mkelly@kerrtarcog.org or 252-436-2040. 

Forming Complete Count Committee 2020 Census Workshop

The Council of Governments in conjunction with the U.S. Census Bureau will be hosting a Complete Count Committee Workshop on Tuesday, June 25^th at the Granville County Expo and Convention Center. The workshop will begin at 10:00 AM and will be facilitated by Wilhelmenia I. Rembert, PhD, Partnership Specialist for the State of North Carolina. The workshop will focus on learning about the formation of Complete Count Committees within local communities. If interested in attending, please contact Michael Kelly at mkelly@kerrtarcog.org or 252-436-2040.

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

NC Legacy Tree Fund Grant

The NC Urban Forest Council is now accepting applications for projects relating to street tree planting, natural area planting, neighborhood planting, school projects, arbor day events, stormwater projects, or storm recovery. Submissions due by May 31, 2019. Learn more

Innovations in Transit Public Safety

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is seeking project proposals to identify innovative solutions that eliminate or reduce human trafficking that occurs on transit systems. There are $2 million in available funding, covered under Public Transportation Innovation Program. The deadline to apply is May 28, 2019. For more information, please visit https://www.transit.dot.gov/funding/applying/notices-funding/innovations-transit-public-safety-fy-2019-notice-funding  

National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation

Research

The National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research is seeking applications for the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP): Assistive Technology to Promote Independence and Community Living. The purpose is to plan and conduct research, projects and training that will maximize the full inclusion and integration of individuals with disabilities. Deadline to apply is

June 17, 2019. 

Please visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=313654 for further details.

Upcoming Webinar on Opportunity Zones Hosted by HUD Office of Policy Development and Research

The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act created new tax incentives for investments made in designated Opportunity Zones. These zones are intended to spur economic development and job creation by encouraging long-term investment in designated low-income communities nationwide. Designated Opportunity Zones are census tracts that states determined were most in need of private investment. The Opportunity Zone designation encourages investment by granting investors extensive federal tax advantages for using their capital to finance new projects and enterprises located within the Opportunity Zones.

 

The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Policy Development and Research will be holding an in-person panel discussion and webinar on the Opportunity Zones program. This event will include experts from the investment, research, and philanthropic sectors for a discussion of how to maximize beneficial impacts of public and private investments in Opportunity Zones and ensure that existing residents, businesses, and community organizations benefit from the expected influx of investment. This event will take place on June 20, 2019 from 2-4 pm ET. Registration information for this event can be found here.

PLANNING & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

2019 Tentative TCC/TAC Meeting Dates

Meetings are held from 3:00-5:00 p.m. at the Kerr-Tar COG Offices located at 1724 Graham Avenue in Henderson

*Please note, meeting dates are subject to change in order to accommodate NCDOT deadlines

Important Meeting Notice: The TAC and TCC will not meet in June or July, but in August. More information will be

forthcoming.  

SPOT P6.0 Update

The NCDOT Division of Planning and Programming requested the North Carolina Board of Transportation approve the 2020-2029 STIP at their September Board Meeting. Due to the delay in approval, the window for submittal of projects into SPOT Online for P6.0 will be open from October through December. This is three (3) months later than the original project window. KTRPO staff will continue project selection with the assistance from NCDOT, local officials, and members of the TAC and TCC. The KTRPO P6.0 Subcommittee will begin meeting in August. Further information will be presented to the full KTRPO TAC.TCC and Subcommittee as it becomes available. 

Dabney Drive Public Meeting

Proposed Upgrade of Dabney Drive - NCDOT STIP Project No. U-5890 Public Meeting

Members of the public are invited to attend a Public Meeting on June 27^th at E.M. Rollins Elementary School, located at 1600 S. Garnett Street Extension from 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm. Attendees will learn of a proposed project along Ruin Creek Road (S.R. 1128) to U.S. 1 Business (Raleigh Road). Officials with NCDOT, Mott MacDonald, and the Kerr-Tar RPO will be present to answer any questions. 

Safe Routes to School Non-Infrastructure Grant Notification

On May 14^th the KTRPO was notified the region’s SRTS Non-Infrastructure Grant application submitted to the NCDOT was approved. The grant funds received will be used to evaluate activities at all K-8 schools in Franklin, Granville, Person, Vance and Warren Counties. Once the evaluations are completed, KTRPO staff will provide recommendations and training to school staff and community members to improve or begin safe route activities at each school. KTPRO staff hopes to begin working on these evaluations as the new school year begins. The KTRPO staff thanks our local School Superintendents for their letters of support to supplement the application. 

The 3^rd Annual Sustainable Fleet Technology Conference will be held August 7-8, 2019 at the Durham Convention Center. Discover the latest and greatest in sustainable fleet technology, operations, and implementation.

The Sustainable Fleet Technology Conference will showcase the latest and greatest technologies in the biofuels, electric, natural gas, and propane arenas. The conference will also have a strong focus on data driven decisions and technologies. With 50+ speakers and 40+ exhibitors, this event will highlight the leading edge of sustainable fleet practices and alternative fuel opportunities.

Register at the following: https://www.sustainablefleetexpo.com/registration/

CMAQ Workgroup 

Stephanie Harmon, KTRPO Coordinator, has been appointed to the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Workgroup for the North Carolina Association of Rural Planning Organizations (NCARPO). The purpose of the CMAQ Workgroup is to ensure proper environmental project development after application approval and for communities to understand what is expected of them after agreements with NCDOT. Communities in the Kerr-Tar region have a history of application approval and project delivery. NCDOT would like to reward similar communities and provide incentives for other communities for environmental stewardship efforts related to transportation projects. 

2019 Sustainable Fleet Technology Conference and Expo 

The 2019 Sustainable Fleet Technology Conference and Expo will be held on August 7-8, 2019 at the Durham Convention Center. Attendees will learn about alternative fuels, advanced vehicle technologies, and implementing best management practices to improve fleet efficiency and performance. Registration is now open. For more information on the 2019 SFT Conference and Expo, please visit the following: https://nccleantech.ncsu.edu/2019/05/23/sessions-announced-for-2019-sustainable-fleet-technology-conference/

If interested in attending the 2019 SFT Conference and Expo, please contact Alrik Lunsford at alunsford@kerrtarcog.org or 252-436-2040. 

NCDOT Bike & Pedestrian Planning Grant

The NC DOT is currently accepting applications for the 2019 Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning Grant Initiative. The program provides funding for municipalities and counties across the State to develop comprehensive bicycle and pedestrian plans. These plans mainly focus on enhancing mobility, improving safety and promoting economic and healthy benefits. A short webinar describing the grant program and answering applicant questions will be held within the upcoming weeks. For more information on the Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning Grant Initiative, contact Bryan Lopez at (919) 707-2606 or balopez@ncdot.gov or Kathryn Zeringue at (919) 707-2610 or kezeringue@ncdot.gov. All municipalities and counties are encouraged to apply by Friday, August 2, 2019.

On June 4^th, the Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments in partnership with Working Landscapes; Community Food Strategies; the NC Rural Center; and Green Rural Redevelopment Organization (GRRO) held a Regional Food Policy Conference at Vance-Granville Community College. The conference brought together members of our region’s farm community, government agencies, economic development, social and human services, healthcare, and education. Attendees heard from Working Landscapes Associate Director, Dr. Gabriel Cumming (Warrenton) and Fmr. U.S. Rep. Eva Clayton (NC-1) on the importance of a regional food system in the Kerr-Tar region. Attendees also received special remarks from VGCC President, Dr. Rachel Desmarais and Henderson City Council member Marion Brodie Williams. 

AGING

Congratulations to Franklin County EMS

During the month of May, the Kerr-Tar Area Agency on Aging (AAA) made it their mission to conduct the Virtual Dementia Tour (VDT) for the EMS Staff of Franklin County. The VDT is an evidence-based sensitivity training, created by P.K. Beville, a specialist in geriatrics and the founder of Second Wind Dreams. The purpose of this program is to build a greater understanding of dementia through the use of patented sensory tools and instruction. With such an imperative role throughout communities, EMS Staff come in contact with individuals living with dementia regularly. It is important to be able to not only be able to recognize warning signs that are common with the disease, but how to better communicate with individuals who have dementia. The AAA staff placed over 100 staff mem-bers through the VDT! With this program, they hope to target other EMS Departments throughout the region in the upcoming year. If you have any questions regarding the program, etc, please contact Harvey Holmes at (252) 436-2040 or hholmes@kerrtarcog.org.

Caregiver Support Groups

Franklin County Caregiver Support Group

Louisburg Senior Center

2nd Monday @ 7:00 P.M

(919) 496-1131

 

Granville County Caregiver Support Group

Granville Hospital Cafeteria Meeting Room

1st Wednesday @ 12:00 P.M

(919) 690-3273

 

Person County Caregiver Support Group

Person County Senior Center

4th Tuesday @ 6:00 P.M

(336) 599-7484

 

Person County Caregiver Support Group

Cambridge Hills

2nd Tuesday @ 6:30 P.M

(336) 599-7484

 

Vance County Caregiver Support Group

Vance County Senior Center

3rd Tuesday @ 12:00 P.M.

(252) 430-0257

The AAA speaks out about Aging

On Thursday, May 23^rd, Harvey Holmes and Laura Yeatts of the Kerr-Tar AAA were invited to go on air with WIZS 1450 AM Radio for their morning show, “Town Talk”, to discuss Aging and Adult Services throughout Region K. To listen to the interview, click here.

WORKFORCE

Looking for a job - look at www.NCWORKS.gov 

MISSION STATEMENT

 

Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments aims to

promote regionalism that provides opportunities for

local governments to enhance and improve the quality

of life for our citizens through effective delivery of

services and programs.