Craven County Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting - October 5, 2026

The Craven County Board of Commissioners’ regular meeting on October 5, 2026, included approval of the county’s FY2026 Community Development Block Grant Neighborhood Revitalization application. The proposed $3.5 million project budget allocates $1 million for rehabilitation of seven selected homes, $2.15 million for public-facility improvements, and $350,000 for administration. Proposed work at Vanceboro Farm Life includes replacing windows, installing a fire alarm system, asbestos removal in the gym, and HVAC improvements. The board approved the grant action and authorized the county manager to execute related documents and certify compliance with program requirements. The board also approved a franchise for Medex Ambulance Incorporated following a favorable recommendation from the EMS Advisory Council.

The board declined the school board’s offer of a first opportunity to purchase a property, allowing the school board to proceed with its sale. It also gave final approval to convey three county-owned surplus parcels acquired through tax foreclosure after no upset bids were received, returning them to the tax rolls; the transcript’s dollar figures for some parcels are unclear. Little Swift Creek Fire Department reported plans to remount its existing fire-engine body on a new Freightliner cab and chassis for about $250,000, funded through the department’s budget, with no county funding requested and no board vote taken. During public comment, residents asked the county to use part of a reported $600,000 animal-shelter bequest for low-cost spay/neuter and trap-neuter-return programs; no action was taken on that request.