CountyCast

Two emergency management experts join the show this episode to talk about what counties do in preparation for and in the wake of disasters. Mike Sprayberry, Director of North Carolina Emergency Management, and Randy Thompson, Vice Chairman of the Brunswick County Board of Commissioners, discuss both the state and county roles in dealing with a natural disaster like Hurricane Florence and share what it looks like to lead collaboratively and recover in the face of emergencies.

• Mike Sprayberry Biography - NCDPS Link
• Randy Thompson Biography - Brunswick County Link
• Sprayberry’s BBQ - Business Link
• ReBuild NC - More info
• ReadyNC app - More info

From the snow-covered CountyCast studio, the NCACC's Director of Government Relations Johanna Reese along with Legislative Counsel Adam Pridemore talk with host Amber Harris about what legislation the General Assembly is working on during this unique session.

• Wilber's Barbecue - Google Maps
• Voter ID Bill - S824
• Hurricane Florence - S823
• Johanna Reese - Biography Page
• Adam Pridemore - Biography Page

Listen in as we talk about what good leadership in local government looks like and touch on the history of county government in North Carolina with NCACC President and Surry County Commissioner Larry Phillips and Executive Director Kevin Leonard.

Call From Craven - Amazon.com
BBQ Center (Lexington, NC) - bbqcenter.net
Commissioner Larry Phillips - Biography Page

In this episode, we talk with Paige Worsham, NCACC Associate General Counsel and Hugh Johnson, NCACC Government Relations Coordinator try to get at what the results of recent elections mean to counties. We discuss the changes in the super majority at the state legislature and what referenda were placed on county ballots, including the passage of local school bonds and local sales tax referenda.

We’ll also talk about former county commissioners' perspectives at the legislature and the critical role that counties play in elections.

• "Humidity, ballot size cause issues with voting machines in North Carolina, officials say" (The News & Observer)
  
• "Counting Votes Is Easy — Except When Mecklenburg Poll Workers Are Locked Out" (WFAE)

Welcome to CountyCast!

Twice a month, we'll bring you stories about the positive impacts local governments are having on peoples' lives. On our first episode, we're talking to two other NCACC staff members, Hugh Johnson and Paige Worsham, about recent elections and what they mean for North Carolina counties.

Find new episodes every other Wednesday at www.ncacc.org, or wherever you get your podcasts.

The first episode will be available November 14th!