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Public Notices

ReBuild NC Homeowner Recovery Program application period closing April 21

More than 1,100 completed projects to date

RALEIGH, N.C.— North Carolinians whose homes were impacted by hurricanes Matthew or Florence have until 5 p.m. Friday, April 21 to apply for the ReBuild NC Homeowner Recovery Program. Supported by the state’s HUD Community Development Block Grant‒Disaster Recovery funding, the program rebuilds or restores homes for eligible homeowners in counties identified as most impacted and distressed by the two storms. The program has completed 1,103 construction projects to date, making it possible for those families to return to safer, more resilient homes. 

The application period closeout will not impact existing Homeowner Recovery Program awards, ongoing projects, case management or customer service. Current program participants with questions should contact their assigned case manager or call 833-ASK-RBNC (833-275-7262) between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The fastest way to apply to the Homeowner Recovery Program is through the online application. Interested homeowners may also call 833-ASK-RBNC (833-275-7262) to schedule an appointment at the nearest regional ReBuild NC Center. Visit the ReBuild NC website for more information about center locations and hours of operation.  

The Homeowner Recovery Program is administered by the N.C. Department of Public Safety’s Office of Recovery and Resiliency (NCORR). In addition to homeowner recovery, NCORR administers programs that include strategic buyout, mitigation, resiliency, community development and affordable housing. Learn more about NCORR programs at: https://www.rebuild.nc.gov/.

Water Treatment Chemical – Granular Activated Carbon, Invitation to Bid # 23-248

 

Pender County Utilities is seeking bids for two exchanges of Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) for FY24.  The two exchanges shall be scheduled for November 2023 and April 2024 and will be 40,000 lbs. each.  In addition to freight, all materials, equipment and supervision for the transport, supply and installation of the virgin GAC into the filters must be included.  Bids will only be accepted from manufacturers with 10 years of experience manufacturing virgin activated carbon.  Bidder’s virgin and reactivation manufacturing processes shall produce NSF/ANSI 61 certified products. The GAC product designated by the Bidder as the material to be supplied for this bid shall have five years of history of use in municipal drinking water facilities in North America with a minimum of three installations.  Visit https://pendercountync.gov/public-notices/open-rfps-and-bids/ to view full specifications and Invitation to Bid # 23-248 in its entirety.  Questions must be emailed to thedrick@pendercountync.gov no later than April 27, 2023 at 1pm.  Sealed bids shall be submitted in person or by FedEx/UPS/courier to 605 E. Fremont St., Burgaw, NC  28425.  Bids sent by US Mail should be submitted to PO Box 995, Burgaw, NC  28425.  Bids must be marked “ITB # 23-248” on the outside and are due no later than May 11, 2023 at 1pm, at which time a formal opening will be conducted at 605 E. Fremont St., Burgaw, NC 28425 in the conference room.   Pender County reserves the right to waive formalities in any response and to reject any or all responses.

 

Click here to view Water Treatment Chemical – Granular Activated Carbon, Invitation to Bid # 23-248.

 

Four County Electric Membership Corporation Play Pivotal Role in Helping Deliver High-Speed Internet

Four County Electric Membership Corporation Plays Pivotal Role in Helping Bring High-Speed Internet to Pender County

Pender County, NC – FOCUS Broadband and Four County Electric Membership Corporation (EMC) are cooperatively working to bring high-speed internet service to unserved communities in Pender County. Through this partnership, Four County EMC is allowing FOCUS Broadband to utilize a portion of their fiber-optic network to make high-speed internet service available in western portions of the county more quickly.

To make high-speed internet service available in Pender County, FOCUS Broadband must connect the Pender County network they are constructing to their existing fiber optic network in Columbus County. When the company encountered delays boring under the Cape Fear River and Black River, Four County EMC stepped in and made a portion of their fiber optic network available on a temporary basis to complete the connection. As a result, residents in the Canetuck, Atkinson, and Grady communities will have access to gigabit broadband speeds much sooner. “Cooperation among cooperatives is a principle we believe in,” commented Jeremy Dewberry, Marketing and Energy Services Supervisor at Four County EMC. “By helping FOCUS Broadband we’re helping our members gain access to this critical service, and that is great for our community.”

This is not the first time that Four County EMC and FOCUS Broadband have partnered together.  In 2020, at the onset of the pandemic, the cooperatives worked together to provide Wi-Fi hotspots at several Pender County Schools, and last spring FOCUS Broadband was able to use a connection provided through Four County’s network to make high-speed internet available to Four County EMC members in Duplin County.

“I can’t say enough about how great Four County has been to work with,” commented Keith Holden, FOCUS Broadband CEO. “We have seen firsthand how much they care about their members because they have gone above and beyond to help us connect Duplin and Pender counties to the the incredible opportunities this project will provide.”

FOCUS Broadband’s Pender County project is being made possible using a $21.6 million dollar grant from the USDA ReConnect Grant Program and the company will provide up to $7.2 million in matching funds for the project. FOCUS Broadband has already begun serving customers in Pender County and once complete, more than 7,000 unserved addresses will have access to high-speed internet. Last August, FOCUS Broadband was also awarded a $4 million dollar grant through the NC Department of Information Technology’s GREAT Grant program to bring high-speed internet to an additional 1,331 addresses located in rural areas which were not included in the 2020 ReConnect Grant award. FOCUS Broadband will contribute $547 thousand dollars and Pender County will provide an additional $547 thousand dollars using American Rescue Plan Act funds.

FOCUS Broadband is now offering high-speed internet service in areas of Duplin and Pender counties and additional areas will continue to come online as construction is completed. For more information on FOCUS Broadband’s progress in Pender County, or to see where service is available, visit www.fasterpender.com.

About FOCUS Broadband

FOCUS Broadband is a member-owned cooperative providing a multitude of communications services, including telephone, business services, wireless, broadband internet, cable television, and home security, in Brunswick County, North Carolina. FOCUS Broadband provides services in additional areas through its wholly owned subsidiary, ATMC, LLC. FOCUS Broadband is the largest communications cooperative in North Carolina and one of the largest in the country. For more information on products and services from FOCUS Broadband, visit www.focusbroadband.com.

About Four County Electric Membership Corporation

Four County EMC serves members throughout Bladen, Duplin, Pender, Sampson, Columbus and Onslow Counties by delivering electricity to approximately 34,000 meters. For more information about the electric cooperative, visit www.fourcty.org.

 NCDHHS Urges North Carolinians to “Fight the Bite” with Insect Repellant and Other Prevention Tools to Avoid Tick- and Mosquito-Borne Disease

 

 

RALEIGH — With warmer weather on the way, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services urges North Carolinians to “Fight the Bite” by taking measures to reduce their risk of tick- and mosquito-borne diseases. In 2022, almost 700 cases of tick- and mosquito-borne illnesses were reported in the state.

As part of this April’s Tick and Mosquito Awareness Month, NCDHHS is announcing the return of the Fight the Bite campaign to increase awareness about the dangers of tick- and mosquito-borne diseases and to educate North Carolinians about measures they can take to protect themselves.

“Ticks and mosquitoes are everywhere in North Carolina and their bites can cause serious diseases,” said Alexis M. Barbarin, Ph.D., State Public Health Entomologist. “We encourage all North Carolinians to explore the outdoors but do so safely and take protective measures like using DEET or other EPA approved repellants.”

Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease and other tickborne diseases can cause fever, headache, rashes, flu-like illness and other symptoms that can be severe.  Alpha-gal syndrome and southern tick-associated rash illness, or STARI, have been seen in the state as well. Most diagnoses of tick-borne diseases are reported between June and September, and cases of Lyme disease accounted for more than half of tick-borne diseases reported last year.

Ticks live in wooded, grassy and brushy areas; frequenting these areas can put you in contact with ticks and increase the potential exposure to vector-borne diseases. To reduce exposure to ticks:

The mosquito-borne diseases most often acquired in North Carolina are West Nile virus (WNV), eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) and La Crosse encephalitis (LAC). North Carolina reported the second-highest number of LAC cases in the United States between 2012 and 2021.

Most mosquito-borne diseases reported in the state are acquired while traveling outside the continental United States, including cases of malaria, dengue, chikungunya and Zika.

To reduce exposure to mosquitoes:

  • Use mosquito repellent that contains DEET (or equivalent) when outside. Use caution when applying to children.
  • Consider treating clothing and gear (such as boots, pants, socks and tents) with 0.5% permethrin.
  • Install or repair screens on windows and doors and use air conditioning if possible.
  • “Tip and Toss” — Reduce mosquito breeding by emptying standing water from flowerpots, gutters, buckets, pool covers, pet water dishes, discarded tires and birdbaths at least once a week.

Talk with your primary care provider or local health department if you plan to travel to an area where exotic mosquito-borne diseases occur.

​Always check your destination to identify appropriate prevention methods. Travel associated health risk information is available at www.cdc.gov/travel.

The Fight the Bite Campaign is a collaboration between the NCDHHS, local health departments and schools to promote a K-12 poster artwork contest that uses illustration to increase tick- and mosquito-borne disease awareness in North Carolina. Entries are due April 10, and information regarding contest submission and deadlines can be found here. Winners of this statewide awareness poster contest will be announced at the end of April.

​For more information on vector-borne diseases in North Carolina, please visit the NCDHHS Vector-Borne Diseases webpage here.

EPA announces proposal to regulate PFAS in drinking water

DEQ provides assistance to public water systems

RALEIGH– Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a proposed National Primary Drinking Water Regulation to establish legally enforceable levels for six PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known to occur in drinking water. Specifically, EPA is proposing an enforceable Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for PFOA and PFOS, at 4 parts per trillion (ppt), a level that can be reliably measured by most labs. The proposed rule would also regulate GenX chemicals, PFNA, PFHxS, and PFBS through the use of a Hazard Index calculation to determine if the combined levels of these PFAS pose a potential risk to human health. Once the proposed EPA rule becomes final, public water systems will have three years to comply with the regulation. More information on the EPA announcement and how to provide public comment is available here.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality has been working with public water systems to prepare for the proposed regulation and assess PFAS levels in drinking water systems across the state. Under the Action Strategy for PFAS, DEQ is taking a whole-of-department approach to protect communities by identifying, reducing, and remediating PFAS pollution. DEQ is also utilizing federal funding under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help address PFAS contamination, including funding designated specifically for small, rural, and underserved communities.

“North Carolina has been leading efforts to address forever chemicals in our drinking water and today’s EPA announcement provides additional federal support and a roadmap for the public water systems in our state,” said Secretary Elizabeth S. Biser. “Having clear direction on national drinking water standards supports DEQ’s work with public water systems to protect the people of North Carolina.”

In late 2022, DEQ performed three months of sampling at 50 municipal and county water systems (map) identified in the 2019 PFAST Network study with PFOA/PFOS detections above the minimum reporting level indicated by the 2022 EPA interim health advisories or GenX above 10 ppt. DEQ is actively working with the systems on next steps and providing technical assistance.

Some public water systems in North Carolina are currently monitoring for PFAS voluntarily.  DEQ is also implementing plans to sample hundreds of smaller water systems that may not have that capability to better assess the levels of PFAS on a statewide basis. DEQ recommends that public water systems share their PFAS results with customers.

Beyond public water systems, DEQ has taken several actions to better identify PFAS sources and reduce emissions and discharges:

  • Requiring PFAS information from new facilities and industries and developing permit conditions as appropriate throughout the state;
  • Inventorying and prioritizing locations for additional assessment where these substances may have been manufactured, used, discharged or disposed;
  • Adding permit conditions as appropriate to address PFAS air emissions, waste generation, or wastewater discharges and require disclosure of data and additional monitoring;
  • Conducting groundwater testing and additional monitoring in areas with known or suspected PFAS contamination;
  • Requiring all solid waste sanitary landfills to include PFAS analyses of all regular groundwater, surface water and leachate samples;

DEQ continues to gather data to support setting regulatory standards and to provide technical assistance to facilities to reduce future PFAS pollution.

If you have public water, contact your water provider to find out whether they have sampled for PFAS and what steps they are taking to address PFAS.

If you are concerned about the level of PFAS in your drinking water, whether you are on a private well or public water system, you may consider adding filtration to reduce the amount of PFAS you consume. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has developed a list of filtration options, from whole house or under sink systems to pitcher of fridge filters with information on their effectiveness. NC DHHS Filtration Options and Sampling Factsheet

Additional information on PFAS is available on the DEQ website.

Accepting Sealed Bids for the Construction of Pender County Business Park Water & Sewer Improvements Contract B – Wastewater Plant Berm, EDA Grant # 04-01-07673

Sealed Bids for the construction of the Pender County Business Park Water & Sewer Improvements Contract B – Wastewater Plant Berm Project will be received, by Pender County at 605 E. Fremont Street, Burgaw, NC on March 28, 2023, until 2:00 p.m. local time, at which time the Bids received will be “publicly” opened and read aloud.

This project will be partially funded with Federal funds from the United States Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration and therefore is subject to the Federal laws and regulations associated with that program.

A pre-bid conference will be held at 2:00 PM local time on March 9, 2023.  The pre-bid conference will be conducted via a web-based meeting utilizing Microsoft Teams.  Interested parties wishing to join the web-based pre-bid conference may do so by sending an email to the following email address no later than March 8, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. local time.  Note that a physical meeting will not be held for the pre-bid conference and only the web-based meeting will be available to interested parties.  jfitzsimmons@mckimcreed.com

A Microsoft Teams link will be sent to all parties who provide an email address for the pre-bid conference no later than 8:30 a.m. local time on March 9, 2023.  Parties will utilize this link to join the web-based Microsoft Teams meeting.  Interested parties are advised that only audio may be available due to limitations with Microsoft Teams’ video capability.  Consequently, the pre-bid conference will be conducted via audio and interested parties may only hear the pre-bid conference as the video may not be available.  Attendance at the pre-bid conference is strongly encouraged but not mandatory.

The Project consists of the construction of:

  • Approximately 850 linear feet of 0 to 8-foot-tall flood control berm
  • Approximately 270 linear feet of 24-inch diameter C900 DR-18 PVC Wastewater Effluent Force Main Piping
  • Approximately 50 linear feet of (2) two parallel 24-inch Class IV RCP storm drainpipes
  • Miscellaneous Site Work, Grading, and Landscaping

Bids will be received for a single prime Contract. Bids shall be as indicated in the Bid Form. Bidders are not required to be pre-qualified to submit a bid for the Pender County Business Park Water & Sewer Improvements Contract B – Wastewater Plant Berm Project. The contractor is advised and shall meet the following project schedule for execution and completion of the project:

  • Pre-Bid Conference March 9, 2023, 2:00 PM local time
  • Public Bid Opening March 28, 2023, 2:00 PM local time
  • Notice of Award April 24, 2023
  • Notice to Proceed June 26, 2023

Prospective bidders may obtain copies of the Bidding Documents by contacting the Issuing Office for the Bidding Documents at: McKim & Creed, Inc., 243 North Front Street, Wilmington, NC 28401, Jamie Mabe Fitzsimmons, 910-343-1048, jfitzsimmons@mckimcreed.com Physical copies of the Bidding Documents will not be available for review at the Issuing Office.  Bidding Documents may also be examined on the Pender County website at www.pendercounty.nc.gov.  Click “I want to view all open RFPs and Bids”. Physical copies of the Bidding Documents will not be available for review at the offices of Pender County: https://pendercountync.gov/utl/.  Bidding Documents will be provided no later than February 28, 2023, at Carolinas Plan Room, 2527 S. 17th Street, Wilmington, NC 28401; online at Carolinas AGC www.cagc.org; and online through the McGraw Hill Construction Plan Room (dodge.construction.com).  Prospective Bidders should contact these entities to determine availability for obtaining or viewing the documents.  Bidding Documents are available on USB flash drives (as PDF files) for a non-refundable charge of $100.00, including shipping via overnight express service. Alternatively, printed Bidding Documents may be obtained from the Issuing Office via mail, upon Issuing Office’s receipt of payment for the Bidding Documents. The non-refundable cost of printed Bidding Documents is $200.00 per set, payable to “McKim & Creed, Inc.”, plus a non-refundable shipping charge. Upon Issuing Office’s receipt of payment, printed Bidding Documents will be sent via the prospective Bidder’s delivery method of choice; the shipping charge will depend on the shipping method chosen. The date that the Bidding Documents are transmitted by the Issuing Office will be considered the prospective Bidder’s date of receipt of the Bidding Documents.  Partial sets of Bidding Documents will not be available from the Issuing Office. Neither Owner nor Engineer will be responsible for full or partial sets of Bidding Documents, including Addenda if any, obtained from sources other than the Issuing Office.

Pender County reserves the right to waive minor defects and to reject any/all bids.

 

 

Pender County breaks ground on new water tower and well fields

Pictured left to right are Pender County Fire and EMS Director Everette Baysden, Pender County Utilities Director Kenny Keel, Pender County Commissioner Jerry Groves, Chair of the Board of County Commissioners Jackie Newton, Lower Cape Fear Water and Sewer Authority Chairman Norwood Blanchard, Pender County Commissioner Wendi Fletcher-Hardee, and Pender County Manager David Andrews at the groundbreaking of a water infrastructure project in Scotts Hill. 

 

BURGAW- Pender County officials broke ground at the construction site of a new elevated water tank and well fields today.

“This infrastructure project is important to Pender County,” said Jackie Newton, Chair of the Pender County Board of County Commissioners. “We’re increasing the water capacity in Hampstead and Scotts Hill by approximately 750,000 gallons per day and most importantly will improve fire flow in the Scotts Hill area.”

The Pender County Utilities projects includes construction of a new 500,000-gallon elevated water tank and three well facilities.

“The tank and one well will be located adjacent to Pender EMS & Fire Station 18 in Scotts Hill,” said Kenny Keel, Pender County Utilities director.

The additional two wells will be constructed adjacent to South Topsail Elementary School on Hoover Road and the existing Hampstead elevated water tank on US17 near Topsail High School.

“We are appreciative of the collaboration with Pender Fire and EMS co-location of the tank and well in Scotts Hill,” said David Andrews, Pender County manager.

The total project cost is $13,187,000 and has a scheduled completion date of May 12, 2024.

Professional Consultant to Conduct Space Needs Assessment, RFQ # 230209-243

Pender County is soliciting Statements of Qualifications from professional consulting firms to conduct a space needs assessment of our court facilities, related offices and associated storage needs.  Responding firms must show a strong background in the planning of government facilities, including judicial facilities.  The County is seeking a firm whose combination of qualified experience and personnel will provide timely, cost-effective, and professional planning services.

The following outlines the anticipated timeline related to the Request for Qualifications, award of contract, and delivery/presentation of work products related to this RFQ. County reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to adjust this schedule as it deems necessary.

RFQ Issued February 9, 2023
Questions on RFQ Due February 17, 2023 by 2pm to purchasing@pendercountync.gov
Statements of Qualifications Due March 2, 2023 by 2pm to purchasing@pendercountync.gov

There will not be a formal opening.
Interviews with Short List Firms (if needed) March 3, 2023, times TBA
Recommendation to Board of Commissioners March 6, 2023
Notification of Award of Contract March 7, 2023
Price Negotiation and Contract Development March 6-10, 2023
Review of Scope and Project Kick Off March 13-16, 2023
Completion Date 120 days after executed contract

Pender County Government is statutorily responsible for providing appropriate facilities for court facilities and related functions: Judicial Chambers, District Court, Superior Court (monthly), Clerk of Court,  Public Defender’s Office, District Attorney’ Office, as well as administrative offices and records storage.  The Pender County Courts currently utilize the following spaces dedicated to court operations, administration and storage including:

Pender County Courthouse, 100 S Wright St, Burgaw – approx. 27,090 sq ft

Frances Dawson Basden Judicial Annex, 100 Dickerson St, Burgaw – approx. 6,000 sq ft

Biberstein House, 102 S Walker St, Burgaw – approx. 1,040 sq ft

Records Storage Space, leased, Burgaw – approx. 1,900 sq ft

Newly Purchased Offices, 301 S McNeil St, Burgaw – approx. 1,900 sq ft

Any questions on this RFQ should be submitted purchasing@pendercountync.gov no later than February 17, 2023 at 2pm.  Both the questions and corresponding answers will be published in the form of an Addendum.

All interested and qualified firms are requested to submit their statement of qualifications no later than 2 pm on March 2, 2023.  If not submitted by email, an electronic file of the SOQ must be included.

Statement of Qualifications should be submitted as follows:

Click here to view the full version of RFQ# 230209-242, which includes the official scope, selection criteria and terms and conditions.

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