The Cumberland County Commission met last night at the Art Circle Public Library.

The meeting started with the Public Health Director for the Cumberland County Health Department, Angela Slaven, recognizing employee Lindsay Bice-Shirley. Lindsay recently won the Health Educator of the Year award at the Annual TPHA Awards Conference.

The commission chose a member to serve as chairman pro-tem. Commissioner Wendell Wilson was nominated but withdrew his name for consideration. Wilson gave his support to Commissioner Terry Lowe. The commission unanimously approved Lowe for the seat.

Members unanimously passed a resolution for the county to join the proposed opioid abatement settlement with K-VAT Food Stores, better known as Food City. It allows the county to participate in class action settlements for opioid abatement. It will mean $131,162.79 coming to Cumberland County from the settlement.

The commission appointed Dr. Jim Wojcik as the county medical director and Joshua Selby as the county codes department director.

Members also approved authorizing the county to enter into a new declaration of covenants and restrictions for the property formerly the VF Factory Mall. This resolution redefined and clarified the restrictions in the covenants for the property commonly known as the VF Mall. There have been many changes to the covenants in the area over the years. This resolution clearly defines how the property can be used going forward.

In the monthly finance report to commissioners, emergency medical services collections were $508,996. That is above the budgeted monthly amount of $366,667. Year to date, after two months, the county is $69,949 ahead of budgeted projections. Sales tax for the board of education was $1,362,368 against a budget of $1,446,289 for a difference of $84,388 below budget. Year to date, the county is $83,162 below budget. Property tax collections are approximately 11.66%, compared to 0.16% last year. Hotel/Motel collections were $300,039 and were $290,476 in the prior year. Prisoner boarding collections from the state were $70,889.

The commission also approved the following road changes:

Extending Keating Loop

Changing the name of Kilby Farm Road to Daugherty Lane

Extending Mayfair Drive

Extending Parnell Road

Adding Pear Circle to the county road list

Removing Tanner Road from the county road list