Our Insights page offers original content developed by Centralina's experts, including commentary and analysis, reports and our Capitol Corner, which highlights the latest news from Washington D.C. and Raleigh. You'll also find links to resources and meeting materials.
Congress returns in September to a legislative calendar packed with end-of-the-month and end-of-the-fiscal year deadlines, as well as high profile legislation such as the infrastructure bill and a $3.5 trillion reconciliation package that reflects President Biden’s American Families Plan. Meanwhile, Centralina’s members are meeting with our region’s congressional delegation.
U.S. Senators have introduced legislative text for a bipartisan infrastructure deal crafted after months of negotiations and a rare weekend session among a bipartisan group of lawmakers, including both North Carolina U.S. Senators Richard Burr and Thom Tillis.
Given the complexity of the guidelines and opportunities for creative solutions, Centralina is launching a series of peer to peer chats to facilitate exchange among local governments on approaches to spending plan development and implementation of projects in the eligible use categories. Share your ideas, learn from others and ask questions in these quick, 30 min virtual chats.
In FY21 Centralina Regional Planning assisted communities throughout the region with technical assistance projects related to land use and zoning, walkability, community engagement, GIS, meeting facilitation, healthy communities and electric vehicle readiness while leading regional initiatives focused on natural resource protection, mobility and future transportation technologies. However, our two largest initiatives included leading a two-state, 12 county regional transit project, CONNECT Beyond, and helping local governments update their land development codes to align with North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 160D.
What began as a small 100th anniversary event celebrating Cheerwine’s 1917 beginning in Salisbury has evolved through the years into the annual Cheerwine Festival. Within the past three years, the springtime festival has welcomed over 100,000 visitors, provided business opportunities for regional sponsors such as food, beer, arts and crafts vendors and brought a strong day of sales for downtown Salisbury merchants. Cheerwine, the event partner, also ties the festival to a charitable-giving opportunity for non-profit organizations in Rowan County. But when life began to shift due to COVID-19 after the first of 2020, festival planners were faced with a big decision: cancel the beloved festival or adapt to the circumstances.
By the year 2030, one in five North Carolinians will be 65 and older, and the proportion of older adults 85 and over will increase as the baby boomer population moves into this age group. As North Carolina demographics skew towards the older population, learning more about how to serve their needs becomes more important. Getting a head start with Aging and Disability Awareness Training is essential to ensure good customer service for all organizations that work with this population now and in the years to come.
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo announced six programs, collectively called “Investing in America’s Communities,” that the Economic Development Administration (EDA) will execute to equitably invest the $3 billion received from President Biden’s American Rescue Plan.
The summary of shared visions for the regional transportation system and national examples for successful implementation in this article is organized under three general topics: shared visions for the regional transportation system, national examples and best practices and key takeaways for coordinating the region’s transportation future.
North Carolina legislators are making progress towards enacting an FY2021-2023 state budget. On June 25th, the Senate passed its budget proposal, which directs spending for the more than $5 billion in American Rescue Plan funds the state received from the federal government. Included in the Senate’s proposal were several provisions for councils of governments (COGs).
On June 30 and July 1, local pandemic recovery stakeholders across the state came together to present “American Rescue Plan Act: Regional Informational Sessions for Local Government.” Besides reviewing Governor Roy Cooper’s proposed ARP budget, speakers provided information on varying topics about ARP funding.
Federal funds are commonly passed through state agencies in North Carolina before being awarded to local governments, which can make the original funding source less obvious. Before proceeding with a procurement, local governments should verify whether an award originates from a federal source. This determination affects compliance obligations, including procurement standards, reporting, and audit requirements.
When a construction or repair contract over $300,000 involves a building, the procurement and contract are subject to additional requirements under N.C.G.S. 143-128. Therefore, this question must be answered to determine whether the additional statutory requirements apply to this procurement scenario.
The micro-purchase threshold is a federal procurement threshold under which competitive procurement is not required. The default micro-purchase threshold is $15,000, but local governments may increase the micro-purchase threshold up to $50,000. An explanation of increasing the micro-purchase threshold and a template for the required annual self-certification is available here.