Durham, NC — The Durham Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) adopted the budget for fiscal year 2010-2011 tonight during their regular session meeting.  The new budget and changes throughout Durham County Government will cause a shift in services for some departments. 

According to County Manager Michael Ruffin, the changes effective July 1, 2010, will not eliminate services, but instead involve modifications designed to better serve residents.

“Some service changes are additions and others are reductions that are more complex and will require adjustments made by our employees and residents,” said Ruffin.  “Though alterations to services are being made, Durham County Government continues to keep in mind our focus of providing top-notch services to our residents.”

The County’s service changes for fiscal year 2010-2011 include:

• City-County Planning: The department will no longer process fee payments.  The City’s Billing and Collections Payment Center, located at 101 City Hall Plaza, will handle fee process payments.  For additional information about the new fee payment changes, contact Patrick Young at 919- 560-4137 x28273 or via email at patrick.young@durhamnc.gov.
• Durham Center (mental health services): The department will add a new Housing Support Program to provide start-up funding for housing and support services.  Project Search, a worksite-based school-to-work program for youths with various disabilities, is also a newly implemented program.  For more information about these new services, call 919-560-7200.   
• Durham Neighborhood College:  Durham County’s joint educational program with the City of Durham will reduce its sessions to once a year.  The annual session, now held only in the fall, will have 30 spaces for residents; an increase from the original 25 openings.   The next session will begin on September 9, 2010.  The application period is July 12 through August 13.  For more information, call 919-560-0008. 
• General Services:  The department will reopen its Swap Shop, located at the Redwood Convenience Site at the corners of Redwood and Electra roads, where residents can donate reusable items in good working condition.  The Swap Shop is designed to encourage the waste reduction practice of reuse.  For more information about items acceptable at the reopened location, call 919-560-0430.
• Library: Effective July 7, 2010, all locations will close at 6 p.m. on Wednesdays.   For additional information, call Gina Rozier at 919-560-0151.
• Health Department:   The department will eliminate its Maternal Outreach Worker project that assists low-income pregnant women identify needed resources.  Durham County will sell its Home Health Program and no longer provide in-home aide services.  Accessibility to diabetes awareness information will increase as the department’s Nutrition Division adds a new 10-hour Diabetes Self Management Training. For more information about the upcoming changes, call Rebecca Freeman at 919-560-7783.
• Register of Deeds:  The department’s Real Estate Division, will no longer record documents after 4:45 p.m.  The Vital Records Division will no longer issue marriage licenses after 4:45 p.m. 

For more information about the changes to Durham County Government’s services, contact Dawn D. Dudley, public information specialist for Durham County Government, at 919-560-0008 or via email ddudley@durhamcountync.gov.