Highlights from Durham County Board of Commissioners

The Durham County Board of Commissioners reviews downtown’s new blueprint before confronting slowing transit tax revenues, an unsustainable long‑range transit model, and pressure to delay or cancel projects rather than amend the current plan. Commissioners debate city–county cost sharing, the idea of a new transit tax, and how updated development rules and street designs could better support walking, biking, and bus rapid transit.

The Durham County Board of Commissioners approved multiple non‑emergency ambulance franchises and clarified that providers bill patients directly, not the county. The board also unanimously backed performance‑based awards for a new headquarters by Aspida Financial Services and a Novartis manufacturing expansion, citing nearly 1,300 projected jobs and commitments to internships, school programs, and local hiring. Commissioners additionally accepted final‑year SAMHSA funds supporting EMS opioid and overdose response.

The board unanimously elected a new chair and vice chair, then set plans for a January work session on child welfare procedures. Leaders called for a community-facing briefing with DSS, the courts, and the public defender to clear up misconceptions and explain state requirements.

The council underscores major education investments amid fiscal headwinds and formalizes a sweeping rezoning of Research Triangle Park to the new UC 3 district. Community solidarity after a tense federal immigration visit and a proclamation honoring Booker T. Spicely also shape the meeting.