By Sonny Jones
Positive tests for COVID-19 in Bladen County more than doubled over the final three months of 2021 compared to the previous quarter, Health Director Dr. Terri Duncan told the Board of Commissioners on Monday.
Duncan said that Bladen County had a positive test rate of 16.3% for the fourth quarter compared to a 7.6% positive test rate at the end of September.
“You can see that, as expected, the omicron variant has spread over the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s holiday,” Duncan told the board at its first scheduled meeting of the year. “We’re pushing the health care resources that we have. We continue to offer testing. We’re continuing vaccinations at the health department Monday through Friday.”
Duncan added that 48% of eligible Bladen County residents have received two doses of the vaccination and 52% have received one shot. She said numbers for those who also have received a booster shot are not yet available. Three-fourths of residents ages 50 and over have been vaccinated, Duncan said.
There had been 98 deaths in Bladen County attributed to COVID-19 through the end of 2021, Duncan said. The county had 34 deaths attributed to the virus on Jan. 31,2021, according to records.
Duncan reminded the board that social distancing and handwashing are effective measures to help stop the spread of the virus.
During the time set aside for people to address the board, Bladen County Republican Party Chairman Wayne Schaeffer expressed concern that for “over the last almost half year” that the county Board of Elections has posted a notice on its web site that, due to time constraints, that members of the public would not be recognized for comment.
“I found that unusual,” Shaeffer said. “I’m aware that the parliamentary procedures for a board such as an elected board (the Board of Commissioners) are different than they are for an appointed board.
“Anytime we have a board which runs county operations, in this case the election process, for all of the citizens of the county, but which offers no opportunity for input, commentary, analysis or push back from the public, I find that concerning.”
The Board of Commissioners approves funding for the Board of Elections, but oversight and operation is provided by the State Board of Elections.
“Again, I recognize the parliamentary issues between your board and therefore, notwithstanding, I think it would be prudent if you gentlemen and ladies could provide some direct questioning to them as to why they continue that process,” Schaeffer said.
The board voted 5-4 to have County Manager Greg Martin send a letter to the Board of Elections asking about the policy of not allowing public comments at meetings. Chairman Ray Britt, Vice-Chairman Rodney Hester, Charles Ray Peterson, Dr. Danny Ellis and Rev. Cameron McGill voted in favor.
In other matters,
• Discussed a meeting with the Bladen County Board of Education concerning progress on the construction of the new school in Tar Heel. The board decided to wait to hear from the school board until after its scheduled Jan. 10 meeting.
• Tabled appointments to the BARTS Advisory Board and East Arcadia Fire Department Firefighter’s Relief Fund Board.
• Approved consideration for advisory board appointments to the Adult Care Home Community Advisory Board, Airport Appeals Board and Lisbon Fire District Committee for its Jan. 18 meeting.
• The board went into closed session to discuss personnel.
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