Hereâs what we found...
Capitol Corner August 2022
Advocacy and Appropriations: The U.S. House of Representatives is in recess until September 13. The Senate is in session until August 5 before breaking for the rest of the month. Centralina has historically scheduled meetings during the August-long recess with the regionâs congressional delegation while lawmakers are in the state. Given the changes that will occur in November primarily as a result of redistricting, we have decided to hold these meetings after the elections. Centralinaâs members should still take advantage of opportunities to advocate for local and regional priorities when seeing Members of Congress locally. The best strategy in these encounters is to keep your message short and sweet.
Focus Areas
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Medical Marijuana: Planning For Legalization
Across the country, the regulatory environment for medical and recreational marijuana is changing rapidly. Based on the history of legalization nationwide, once a state legalizes cannabis for medical purposes, the legalization of recreational usage often follows within several years. Both medical and recreational legalization, especially recreational, have implications on land use regulation, permitting processes, law enforcement operations, administrative procedures at the local and state levels, equity considerations and more. The North Carolina General Assembly is currently considering the Compassionate Care Act, which would establish the statutory and organizational framework for legally using cannabis products to treat debilitating medical conditions. What would these new laws mean for NC local governments, and how can communities best prepare for the future of medical and recreational cannabis?
Capitol Corner April 2023
Signed into law on November 15, 2021, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), also referred to as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), funds numerous transportation infrastructure programs. A year and half later, some BIL programs are re-opening for the second round of applications, while other programs are still preparing to accept applications for the first time. A popular BIL funding opportunity currently accepting a second round of applications is the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant Program. The second application period for SS4A recently opened on March 30th. This BIL-created grant program provides $5 billion over five years to regional, local, and Tribal initiatives through grants to prevent roadway deaths and serious injuries through planning grants and implementation grants.
Regional Economic Development
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National Volunteer Month: Highlighting Centralina AAA Volunteer Programs
In addition to the âon the groundâ work they do in the region, the Centralina Area Agency on Aging team utilizes volunteers to help support individuals and their families and champion important aging issues. In honor of National Volunteer Month, we want to inform members of the community how they can get involved in bolstering and advocating for the rights of those we serve every day. Â
What Makes Centralina Special: A Staff Perspective
2023 marks 55 years since the establishment of Centralina Regional Council. During this time, the organization has seen projects come and grow, but one thing that has remained the same is our core group of long-term employees, many of which have been with the organization for decades. So what is it that makes people stay? We sat down with some of our longest-standing staff members to understand why theyâve continued to work for our organization for so long, what makes Centralina special to them and some of their favorite moments.
Centralina is Hiring: REGIONAL PLANNER I OR REGIONAL PLANNER II
Centralina Regional Council seeks an energetic, self-directed individual for the position of REGIONAL PLANNER I or REGIONAL PLANNER II to assist in the coordination of land use, transportation, environmental, healthy community and public engagement projects.