2025 ABC Board Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA DATE: April 24, 2025 TO: Orange County ABC Board FROM: Kirk Vaughn, Budget Director RE: Orange County FY 2025-26 ABC Board Funding Request As part of the formulation of the County Manager's FY 2025-26 Recommended Budget to the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC), Orange County requests $865,200 to support the continuing expenses of the Criminal Justice Resource Department (CJRD). This is an increase of$25,200 or roughly 3% from the $840,000 the ABC Board committed in FY 2024-25. This reflects a continuation request to continue supporting the current position salaries, benefits and cost-of-living increases in the CJRD. The County's continuation request highlights the need to invest resources in the retention of critical County personnel to further address the social costs related to alcohol and substance use, which is an essential County responsibility. This request is separate and apart from the $33,500 in operational funds to support the Drug Treatment Courts, which is the department's grant request this FY. The ABC Board funding approval of this request would greatly assist the County and our community in this upcoming challenging fiscal year where there is great uncertainty about federal and state funding streams and social safety net needs continue to rise. The ABC Board has financially supported the majority of positions in the Criminal Justice Resource Department, which provides programming for individuals impacted by criminal justice system involvement. The majority of these individuals have substance use disorders, mental health diagnoses or frequently co-occurring diagnoses. In addition to the $865,200 continuation request, the County asks that the ABC Board also consider an additional 2% or $16,400 to support the CJRD's Local Reentry Council as an expansion request. The county is entering its eighth year of the Local Reentry Council grant provided by the NC Department of Adult Corrections. This grant has remained flat at $150,000 per year and supports two county staff positions: the LRC Coordinator and a Case Manager. The county requests this expansion funding to assist the county in maintaining those two positions, whose salary and benefits now exceed the grant award. The LRC provides critical support to individuals returning to Orange County after incarceration. Support for reentry is a bipartisan priority because it reduces recidivism, enhances public safety and increases stability and well-being for the formerly-incarcerated who face significant barriers to integration and a very elevated risk of overdose and substance use.