CountyCast

In this episode, we're joined by NC Senator Lisa Barnes, who is in her first term at the General Assembly, and Commissioner Sue Leggett, who is in her first term on the Nash County Board of Commissioners. Hosts Amber Harris and Ben Christoph find out from their guests how backgrounds in agriculture and commitments to their communities have spurred connections between these two elected officials at the county and state levels.

We kick off the fourth season of CountyCast with NC Representative Terry Garrison, who is in his third term at the General Assembly, and Commissioner T. Davis, who is in his second term on the Warren County Board of Commissioners and serves as NCACC First Vice President. Hosts Amber Harris and Ben Christoph find out from their guests how collaboration between their respective branches of government can work together for the betterment of their communities.

The basic principles of creating laws — bill drafting, committee discussion, and passage between the two chambers of the legislature — is fairly well understood. What happens in between, then? What exactly does it mean when proposed bills "go to marinate?" In the throes of the legislative short session, CountyCast host Amber Harris, NCACC's Director of Government Relations, sat down with NC Representative and Chair of the Rules Committee Destin Hall to find out the specifics of how legislation passes through the halls of the General Assembly.

Relevant Links

Rep. Destin Hall — Biography Page

In celebrating the most prominent Christmas decoration in the most distinguished house in the United States, we recap a special White House Christmas tree send-off from the Ashe County courthouse and talk with Tim O'Connor, Executive Director of the National Christmas Tree Association, about the process to select the winning tree.

Relevant links 

National Christmas Tree Association: realchristmastrees.org
NC Christmas Tree Association: ncchristmastrees.com 
Ashe County Government: www.ashecountygov.com
"The Preacher's Wife": www.imdb.com/title/tt0117372
"National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation": www.imdb.com/title/tt0097958 

The winding, lurching road of vaccine development quickly turned in to a speedy superhighway of vaccine distribution in the United States as the calendar turned to 2021, and true to much of the efforts to mitigate COVID-19, counties were placed at the front and center of the response. Speaking to how vaccination efforts have looked from the mobilization of large networks, to community administration, to the emptying of the vials, we're joined by Hattie Gawande, Senior Policy and Intergovernmental Affairs Advisor from NC DHHS; Gibbie Harris, the Public Health Director from Mecklenburg County; and Brandy Quinn, a Nurse Supervisor from the Onslow County Health Department. Our "Dish With a Commish" spotlight is on Randolph County Commissioner Darrell Frye. 

• NC DHHS Office of Government Affairs — www.ncdhhs.gov
• Mecklenburg County Health Department — www.mecknc.gov
• Onslow County Health Department — www.onslowcountync.gov/149/Health
• Redneck BBQ Lab — theredneckbbqlab.com
• 12 Bones Smokehouse — www.12bones.com
• Healthier Together - Health Equity Action Network — covid19.ncdhhs.gov/vaccines/nc-vaccine-strategy/healthier-together-health-equity-action-network 

Often, libraries bring to mind simple images like rows of books, stacks of magazines, and strict librarians quieting noisy visitors with a harsh shushing. This episode's guests remind us to not judge a book by its cover as they walk us through the innovative and indispensable work their county libraries have done in providing a community hub to their citizens while balancing COVID-19 precautions. For some perspective on their unique approaches, we're joined by library directors Siobhan Loendorf from Catawba County and Kim Bellofatto of Madison County. Our "Dish With a Commish" spotlight is on Guilford County Commissioner Kay Cashion. 

Catawba County Library System — www.catawbacountync.gov/county-services/library/ 

Madison County Libraries — www.madisoncountylibrary.net 

Catawba County Library to Go Program — www.ncacc.org/librarytogo 

High Ridge BBQ — www.highridgeadventures.com 

JD's Smokehouse — www.jds-smokehouse.com 

When others are playing, you will find county parks and recreation departments working — looking to bring entertainment, social engagement, and exercise opportunities to their counties. How, then, did parks and rec managers carry out these responsibilities in the height of COVID-19 when opportunities for getting together needed to be restricted? How has it changed opportunities for recreation departments going forward? To answer these questions and discuss the challenges, highlights, and peculiar controversies of their roles are Bryan Graham, Scotland County Parks and Recreation Director, and Byron Haigler, Cabarrus County Active Living and Parks Assistant Director. 

• Cabarrus County Active Living and Parks - cabarrus.preview.dev/departments/active-living-parks 
• Scotland County Parks and Recreation - www.scotlandcounty.org/427/Parks-Recreation 
• Cabarrus County Finders Keepers - Cabarrus Co. Facebook Page
• Scotland County Geocache - Scotland Co. Facebook Page
• Discover Footgolf - www.footgolf.net 
• Papa Bill's B.B.Q. - g.page/papa-bill-s-b-b-q 
• Keaton's Barbecue, Inc. - keatonsoriginalbbq.com

With counties being the level of government closest to the people, the youngest citizens in those communities cannot be overlooked when ensuring that basic needs are met, especially in the midst of a pandemic. How does it look for counties to serve those youth who have few channels to make their ideas and challenges known? Why is supporting children so vital for the future of a county? To give practical responses to those questions and discuss how their counties are investing in children, we're joined by Transylvania County Manager Jaime Laughter and Cate Elander, Durham County Early Childhood Coordinator.

• Jaime Laughter Bio Page - https://www.transylvaniacounty.org/staff/jaime-laughter 
• Durham City-County Strategic Youth Initiative - www.dconc.gov/county-departments/ 
• "Transylvania County's Partnership Approach to Early Childhood Outcomes" - CountyQuarterly Fall 2018
• Durham Office on Youth Annual Report - www.dconc.gov/county-departments/departments-a-e/county-manager/special-projects/office-on-youth-annual-reports 

Tasked with carrying out one of the most impactful elections in the history of the United States, North Carolina's counties navigated their duty among extraordinary and demanding conditions. As CountyCast continues to tell the story of COVID-19 response from the county perspective, we talk to two county elections directors, Sara Knotts of Brunswick County and Pandora Paschal of Chatham County, to tell us how their teams managed to administer a historic election while keeping ballots secure and voters safe.

• Brunswick County Board of Elections — www.brunswickcountync.gov/elections 
• Chatham County Board of Elections — www.chathamcountync.gov/government/departments-programs/board-of-elections 
• Combating Misinformation (NC State Board of Elections) — www.ncsbe.gov/about-elections/election-security/combating-misinformation  
• How secure is my ballot? | Counties make elections work — Season 2, Episode 1 
• "That's now how this works" ad — www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aq_1l316ow8

We invite you to the table this week for expert insight on top-of-mind issues for NC counties during this legislative session, as well as trending topics from #NCPol and the implications from legislative topics in the headlines. Two insiders and General Assembly aficionados, NCACC Government Relations Director Amber Harris and Legislative Counsel Adam Pridemore, pull up a chair with CountyCast producer Ben Christoph to give listeners a glimpse into the happenings on everything from American Rescue Plan funding to county priorities like broadband access and protecting county revenues.

Amber Harris Staff Directory Page - www.ncacc.org/?s=amber&post_type=staff

Adam Pridemore Staff Directory Page - www.ncacc.org/?s=adam&post_type=staff

NCACC Advocacy Hub - www.ncacc.org/advocacyhub