Mecklenburg County

A child’s life is a story just beginning. You can help write a happy ending by providing a loving home. Our foster care team strives to provide children with a safe and nurturing temporary home when they are unable to remain with their biological families. They're also here to support those who open their hearts and homes to the children who need them most. We're always looking for more families to provide loving homes! Join our monthly informational sessions every first Tuesday to ask questions, learn the basics and discover how you can make a difference in a child's life: https://meck.co/3QYEE5v

We've got a gem in our Historic Landmarks Department! Historic Preservation Specialist Tommy Warlick won a 2026 Charlotte Gem Award from the Charlotte Museum of History. He was awarded the Preservation Special Project Award for the cemetery headstone cleanings that he’s led since 2022. Tommy has trained and assisted over 400 volunteers from across the County as they've cleaned and preserved more than 800 gravestones in six historic cemeteries, raising community awareness and hands-on involvement with historic preservation. Congratulations, Tommy!

Overdose deaths are trending down in North Carolina for the first time since 2019. New statewide data shows a 34% drop in overdose deaths in a single year. In Mecklenburg County, there's a 16% decline in overdose deaths: https://meck.co/3POcxcO Governor Josh Stein visited Mecklenburg County this week and joined local leaders to tour Hope Haven, a local substance use rehabilitation center that receives opioid settlement funding to support addiction recovery and prevent overdose deaths. Hope Haven is one of many local community partners to receive funding from Mecklenburg County through the opioid settlement spending plan. Mecklenburg County is expected to receive $75 million over an 18-year period. “Mecklenburg County’s opioid settlement programs are helping us respond quickly and strategically to our community's needs,” said Dr. Kimberly Scott, Interim Public Health Director. “We are proud of the progress made through strong partnerships and a shared commitment to saving lives. As the work continues to evolve, we remain focused on ensuring every resident has access to timely, equitable, and reliable care and support. Mecklenburg County is also committed to addressing disparities in overdose impacts by expanding treatment, recovery, and prevention efforts where they are needed most. As new substances and trends emerge, we will continue adapting our response to help keep our community safe.” We're also implementing a new surveillance system to include wastewater testing and street drug supply testing to enhance early detection of new and emerging overdose threats in our community.

Safer parks start with lifesaving tools within reach. Thanks to a grant from the American Heart Association, we've installed 18 AED (Automated External Defibrillator) kiosks in our parks. If someone's heart stops, these devices check the rhythm and can deliver a shock to help restart a normal heartbeat until emergency help arrives.

Time to unpack the monthly housing market report! Mecklenburg County is near a 10-year high of homes for sale. High listing activity and slow sales have pushed the number of homes available to nearly 4,000: https://meck.co/4gHu0Lz

County Manager Mike Bryant is recommending a $2.6 billion budget for next year: https://meck.co/4u69FH6 The recommended budget is a 1.8% increase over the current budget, but keeps the property tax rate at its current level of 49.27 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. Some highlights for employees: - 3% across-the-board pay increase. - A performance-based pay increase up to 5%. - $500 one-time salary supplements for full-time staff. - Increased the minimum wage for full-time County positions from $20/hour to to $25.53/hour, providing a livable wage for all employees. This budget year comes with some challenges, including slower revenue growth, higher demand for services and uncertainty around support from the state and federal governments. By shifting money from the County’s debt service fund, finding cost savings through an in-depth review of programs and a strategic use of fund balance, the recommended budget avoids a projected tax increase as well as: - No reductions to services. - Strategic new investments. NEXT: Sign up to speak at the budget public hearing on May 21: https://meck.co/4mggSkB

NOW HIRING: HIV/STI Director - https://meck.co/4ujrimA You'll lead Mecklenburg County Public Health's HIV/STI programs, including Prevention & Education, Investigations & Surveillance, Ryan White Services and Ending the HIV Epidemic initiatives. This position will also collaborate and build relationships with community partners to enhance engagement activities around prevention efforts. Interested candidates must have a Bachelor’s degree in public health, public administration, business administration or related field, a minimum of 10 years of related experience and five years of supervisory experience. REFERRAL BONUS: Do you work for the County and know someone who would be perfect for this? Earn a bonus for referring a friend. Learn more on MeckWeb.

A good story needs strong voices. Add yours to the Library Board of Trustees! This 11-member board was created by the North Carolina General Assembly and has full control and supervision of the public library system. Members will employ staff and make the rules for governing the library. Must live in Mecklenburg County: https://meck.co/3MZ2A8c

Meet your 2026 School Nurse of the Year! Congratulations to Public Health nurse Caitlyn Mathis at Greenway Park Elementary School: https://meck.co/3PcoV5Z We partner with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools to provide nursing services at every school throughout the district. From health education to direct nursing care, oversight of medication administration, emergency care and support for health initiatives. Thank you Nurse Mathis and nurses everywhere for taking care of our students!

A round of applause for this year's Crowns of Enterprise winners! These awards from Mecklenburg County and the City of Charlotte honor the hard work of small businesses and their economic impact for our area: https://meck.co/4f4lNDS - Innovation Catalyst Award: Tommy Nichols of Power Up USA - Enterprise Trailblazer Award: Studio Glamour Hair Salon & Restoration Center - Small Business Enterprise Leadership Award: Cuzzo’s Cuisine - The Industry Stewardship Award: HELD Architecture - Young Entrepreneur Award: Pa&J Tinting LLC - Community and Economic Impact Award: University City Partners - Rising Star Award: Marina Ivanov of Apex Transit We're proud to have them in our community and can't wait to see more!