Mold Remediation in Durham, NC

Durham County didn’t look far in selecting a new county manager after the former manager’s mysterious exit last week.

The Board of Commissioners voted Monday morning to promote Interim County Manager Claudia Hager to the permanent role, forgoing a nationwide search that would have handed the decision to the newly elected board taking office in December.

Hager will be paid $295,000 a year, plus benefits, according to her contract, which has no specified time limit.

She has taken over in an acting capacity twice, most recently when former manager Kimberly Sowell went on leave in September.

Sowell resigned Oct. 28 after seven weeks of paid leave that county officials have refused to explain. The News & Observer has made numerous public records requests to the county since mid-September that remain unfulfilled.

Hager has worked for Durham County for about 14 years and was most recently a deputy county manager overseeing financial affairs. Her previous experience includes stints in financial management at N.C. Central University and the UNC System.

“She has tremendous experience in many areas, and she has been and will continue to be an asset to Durham County government,” Commissioner Wendy Jacobs said, declining to discuss the decision-making process further.

Commissioner Heidi Carter said the board did not conduct a nationwide search.

‘We didn’t go through an official process,” Carter said. “There was a sense that it was important for continuity to make a decision as quickly as possible.”

Hager will be sworn in during the commissioners’ next meeting, on Nov. 12, but her appointment is effective now.

“I was honored and humbled when the county commissioners asked me to consider stepping in permanently as the manager and provide some continuity of leadership,” she said Monday. “I appreciate the opportunity to serve.”

The manager oversees the county’s nearly $1 billion budget and roughly 2,200 employees.

Hager is the third manager under the current Board of Commissioners.

The board will see turnover following this week’s election. Only two board members, Jacobs and Chair Nida Allam, will remain in office.

They will be joined by Michelle Burton, Mike Lee and Stephen Valentine, the other top vote-getters in this spring’s Democratic Party primary. Carter is retiring and did not run for re-election. Nimasheena Burns and Brenda Howerton did not receive enough votes.

“We did discuss the fact that there is going to be a new board and they won’t have all hired this manager, and it still felt like it was in the best interest to go ahead and make the decision,” Carter said.

This story was originally published November 4, 2024, 10:40 AM.

The News & Observer

Mary Helen Moore covers Durham for The News & Observer. She grew up in Eastern North Carolina and attended UNC-Chapel Hill before spending several years working in newspapers in Florida. Outside of work, you might find her reading, fishing, baking, or going on walks (mainly to look at plants).

In-person voting for the 2024 general election has started in North Carolina.

Early voting runs Thursday, Oct. 17 - Saturday, Nov. 2. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5.

Here’s what to know about voting sites in Durham County and how to check what will appear on your ballot.

There are 12 early voting sites in Durham County:

Check voting site hours at dcovotes.dconc.gov.

Any eligible Durham County voter may vote at any of these polling sites during early voting.

On Election Day, which is Tuesday, Nov. 5, eligible Durham County voters must vote at their designated polling place.

Find your designated polling place by searching your address on the North Carolina State Board of Elections’ online Polling Place Lookup, available at vt.ncsbe.gov/PPLkup.

Eligible voters in North Carolina will see some races in common across their ballots, for federal and state offices:

Some ballot items depend on where a voter lives. These could include mayor, city council, state senate and house, district court judges, school board and other races.

There may also be referenda including bonds and constitutional amendments.

View a sample ballot using the Voter Search, available at https://vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup.

The State Board of Elections addressed frequently asked voter questions, concerns and misconceptions after the first few days of early voting. Here’s what to know about and expect when you head to the polls:

▪ Be prepared to wait in line. Wear comfortable shoes, pack snacks, slather on sunscreen and consider bringing a folding chair, umbrella and/or hand-held fan. If you want to know before you go, some counties — including Durham County — have trackers to let you check voting wait times online.

▪ Remember your photo ID. Find a complete list of acceptable forms of ID at BringItNC.gov.

▪ Poll workers might write on your ballot, and that’s OK. It does not invalidate your vote.

▪ It’s illegal to photograph your ballot. Voters can use their cell phones or other electronic devices inside the voting booth to access candidate information, but they can’t take a photo of their ballot or communicate with anyone while voting.

▪ Curbside voting is an option for voters who sign a sworn statement saying they can’t enter the polling place without assistance because of age or disability. It is not available for voters who don’t want to wait in line.

▪ You can wear political attire, but only certain types. Your clothing can say the name of a candidate, but poll workers might ask you to cover up if your clothing says to “vote for” the candidate.

▪ You can leave contests blank, and your ballot will still count.

▪ Candidate supporters and volunteers might be outside the voting site handing out flyers and information about candidates. This is allowed by law as long as they are outside the marked buffer zone. Aggressive campaigners or those inside the buffer zone can be reported to an election official.

For the full list of need-to-knows and expectations, visit ncsbe.gov/news.

Have a question about your community you’d like answered? Or maybe a tip or story idea you’d like to share? The service journalism teams at The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer want to hear from you.

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Elections

October 24, 2024 1:14 PM

This story was originally published October 30, 2024, 6:00 AM.

Voters in the Triangle will decide on a variety of bond referendums on the ballot during the upcoming election.

Use this guide to learn more about referendums on ballots across Wake, Durham, Orange, Johnston and Chatham counties. Triangle voters won’t see all of these referendums, as they are location-specific. Check out your county and/or town to dig into the ballot measures you’ll see, and go deeper with The News & Observer’s in-depth reporting on each bond referendum.

Remember, you can see what your ballot will look like before you head to the polls.

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Voter Guide

October 21, 2024 6:00 AM

North Carolina voters will decide whether to amend the state’s constitution to only allow U.S. citizens who are 18 or older to vote.

Voters can vote “for” and “against” the referendum, which would change the voter eligibility language in the state constitution. The state constitution currently says that “every” person born in the United States or naturalized can vote. The amendment, if passed, would replace that wording to say that “only” a U.S. citizen can vote, The News & Observer previously reported.

The referendum’s wording has misled some critics. One claimed on Reddit that lawmakers slipped the phrase “and otherwise possessing the qualifications for voting” into the amendment as a ploy to support new voting restrictions in the future. In fact, the amendment does not include that phrase.

Whether it passes or not, it would still be unlawful for a noncitizen to cast a ballot in federal and state elections.

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Voter Guide

October 28, 2024 11:00 AM

Wake County voters will decide on a $142 million bond for improvements to local libraries.

Potential projects include building two new community libraries, expanding the Fuquay-Varina branch, replacing the Athens Drive and Wendell branches and renovating seven branches. If approved, construction on these projects could begin as soon as 2026.

The 2024 bond would cost $2.50 per $100,000 of assessed property value. A homeowner with a house valued at $462,000, the county’s median, would see an annual increase in their county tax bill of $11.50.

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Wake County

October 23, 2024 8:00 AM

Cary voters will have two bond referendums on the ballot this year: $560 million to finance park and recreation projects, and $30 million to fund housing projects.

Park projects would include the construction of a two-acre Asian garden, the addition of up to 30 pickleball courts at Cary Tennis Park and a $150 million multi-purpose center in western Cary with basketball courts, an indoor playground and more.

Funds for housing projects would be used to assist residents with lower incomes across Cary through new housing opportunities and preservation of affordable housing.

The property tax rate, currently 32.5 cents per $100 of assessed property value, would increase by 9 cents over about seven to 10 years.

Durham residents will have the chance to vote on a $200 million referendum that will improve streets, sidewalks and parks in the city. The referendum will appear as two separate questions on the ballot.

The $115 million would be used to repair roads, pave dirt streets and build new sidewalks.

The remaining $85 million would be used to upgrade Long Meadow and East End parks, plus it would add a new water park next to the Wheels Roller Rink at Merrick-Moore Park.

The bond would up the city property tax rate a maximum of 3.45 cents per $100 of assessed value, starting in 2026 and slowly dropping off over the following 20 years. On a median home in the city, valued around $244,539 last year, that would add about $84 to the annual tax bill of about $3,411.

Zebulon has a $20 million bond to fund streets and sidewalks on the ballot this year.

The bond would fund enhancements to North Arendell Avenue, including added lanes and medians, and the construction of a roundabout at the Pearces Road and Proctor Street intersections.

If approved, bond funds will be combined with grants from the North Carolina Department of Transportation and the North Carolina Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization to share the cost of the construction projects.

Residents can expect an increase of $42.30 per $100,000 of assessed value, which would be $153.17 for a home valued at $362,000, roughly the median value in Zebulon.

Chapel Hill voters will decide if the town can borrow up to $44 million in bonds for affordable housing, public facilities, streets and sidewalks, parks and recreation facilities, and open space and greenways. Here’s a cost breakdown:

Property taxes won’t increase if the bond passes. This is because the town has a debt fund that annually allocates a portion of the property tax rate to pay existing debt services and build future debt capacity.

Orange County residents will have the opportunity to vote on a $300 million bond referendum to fund facility replacements, renovations, and repairs for Orange County Schools and Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS).

The $300 million bond — $480.36 million with interest — would be split between the districts based on enrollment. CHCCS could get $175 million, and Orange County Schools could get $125 million, The News & Observer previously reported.

▪ CHCCS would replace Carrboro, Estes Hills and Frank Porter Graham Bilingüe elementary schools over the next 10 years. It would also make major renovations at Culbreth and Phillips Middle schools.

▪ Orange County Schools would build a new 600-student elementary school, replace Orange Middle School and fund a major renovation and addition to one additional school.

The tax rate could increase up to 3.41 cents per $100 in property value next year, adding $136.40 to the county tax bill for a $400,000 home. More tax rate increases are possible over the next 10 years, for a total projected increase of 8.42 cents per $100 in assessed property value.

Two bond referendums will be included on Johnston County voters’ ballots this year.

▪ A $30 million bond for Johnston Community College (JCC) would fund a new medical campus facility in Clayton and upgrades to public facilities on JCC’s Smithfield campus.

The 120,000-square-foot medical campus will include a virtual hospital, classroom and lab space for nursing and other current healthcare and transfer programs, and provide room for expanded offerings in healthcare. The public safety upgrades will help JCC serve fire, EMS, and basic law enforcement programs.

▪ A $120 million bond for Johnston County Public Schools would upgrade HVAC systems, replace furniture, scoreboards and other equipment, upgrade gym lights and repair bleachers at multiple schools across the district.

There are currently no plans to raise taxes to pay for the bonds.

The N&O’s Kristen Johnson, Tammy Grubb and Mary Helen Moore contributed to this story, as well as correspondent Emily Vespa.