Commissioners Notebook: April 2023

Published on April 14, 2023

The Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office will receive a $26,500 grant from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to strengthen the department’s enforcement of impaired driving.

Chief Deputy Tessa Burchett and Deputy Eric Callicutt shared information about the grant at commissioners’ April 3 Work Session.

The funds will allow the Sheriff’s Office to use National Medical Services (NMS) labs to expedite alcohol and drug blood testing from impaired driver cases.

NMS Labs is a private laboratory partner that worked with the State in the past.  

According to the Sheriff’s Office, there’s a backlog of screenings at the North Carolina State crime lab, where samples are usually sent.

With NMS labs, test results are revealed after two weeks, significantly improving the turnaround time for court purposes, Callicut said.

No county match is required for the grant.

Also, during the Work Session, Commissioners:

• Heard a resolution from Burchett to name the bridge on NC Highway 24/27 over Rocky River in Midland for Lieutenant Robert J. Eury. Eury was killed in the line of duty on May 5, 1972 in an ambush while responding to a domestic situation in Midland. His death marked the third line-of-duty death for the Sheriff’s Office. A public hearing is required before the Board can approve the resolution. Eury is also the namesake of a prestigious honor presented annually to an officer with at least 20 years of experience who demonstrates “true commitment to law enforcement and service to the community.” The 2023 Robert J. Eury Award will be presented on May 5 at 10:45 a.m. during the annual Law Enforcement Day, held at the corner of 30 Corban Ave. SE and 65 Church St. S. in Concord.
• Heard an update from Cabarrus Transportation Manager Bob Bushey on a federal grant from the Department of Transportation. Bushey told commissioners Human Services reapplied for the 5310 Funding Program to help provide trips and enhance the mobility of all seniors and handicapped residents. “We have approximately 400 individuals in our system qualified to ride under the 5310 grant,” Bushey said. “This year we will complete approximately 14,000 trips with 7% of those being for dialysis and cancer treatments.” The transportation service is available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information call 704-920-2246.

To watch the full agenda meeting, visit youtube.com/cabarruscounty.

The regular meeting is set for 6:30 p.m. on Monday (April 17) at the Cabarrus County Government Center in downtown Concord.

Residents can watch commissioner meetings on the Cabarrus County livestream at cabarruscounty.us, on YouTube (@CabarrusCounty) and on CabCo TV (Spectrum Cable Channel 22).

Stay updated on these and all County programs and projects by visiting www.cabarruscounty.us and following Cabarrus County at facebook.com/cabarruscounty and on Twitter @CabarrusCounty.