New body, vehicle cameras, ambulances get OK

ASHEBORO — With the new annual budget approved, Randolph County emergency services moved quickly to restock their ambulance fleet. 

Their request was one of the public safety equipment requests on the Board of Commissioners’ Aug. 3 meeting agenda.

The meeting ended with a surprise appearance by the sheriff’s office retiring K-9 deputy with a gift for the county libraries.

Red shares her adventure book at meeting

Chief Deputy Steven Nunn shared the new children’s book the sheriff’s office wrote about K-9 Red. Nunn told everyone even though Red is retiring, she “wasn’t quite ready to hang up her leash.”

The book, “Red’s Great Adventure,” centers on Red’s service and the time she escaped her kennel in the middle of a storm last year. The sheriff’s office donated a copy to each branch of the Randolph County Public Library. Nunn presented the books to Library Director Ross Holt.

Red’s retirement party will be on Thursday, Aug. 13, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Randolph County Office Building on 725 McDowell Road, Asheboro. The book can be bought for $10 at the sheriff’s office, and proceeds support their K-9 program and community events.

First responder purchases 

Before Red’s announcement, Nunn asked that commissioners let the sheriff’s office order new body cameras and vehicle cameras. That money will come out of their asset forfeiture fund.

They will come with two contracts. The body cameras will cost $331,938 over five years. The vehicle cameras will cost $115,492 over four years. The commissioners approved the expenses for the first year of each contract. Nunn said they will cost $95,243 for the first year; the remainder will be budgeted later.

Commissioner Chair Darrell Frye asked when the cameras will arrive. Nunn said body cams will most likely come in a month.

Emergency Services Chief Jared Byrd requested three new ambulances to replace their older ones. The money is already in fiscal year’s budget. Commissioners approved spending $863,379 on three Ford F450 4x4 Crestline CCLP-166 Type I ambulances.

Byrd added that they usually run 11 ambulances per day, but they try to keep 20 in their fleet for when one goes out of service.

Massie receives Order of the Long Leaf Pine award

Retiring Assistant County Manager and Finance Officer Will Massie was officially recognized.

The county gave him the traditional retirement gift of a clock. Then County Manager Zeb Holden announced the state was awarding Massie the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, an honor to state employees for exceptional service.

Holden shared a story of how the original certificate’s delivery was delayed. Worried that it would not arrive before the meeting, the county sent someone to Raleigh to pick up a copy in person. They brought that back to Randolph County, only for the original to arrive in the mail on Friday, July 31.

Massie handled county finances for 26 years, since he was hired by former County Manager Frank Willis as deputy finance officer in 2000. Holden also acknowledged Massie’s work as interim county manager and service on boards and committees for the Tourism Development Authority, United Way of Randolph County and Central Church in Asheboro.

Frye said, “Will’s the one who told us, ‘We don’t borrow money until we pay what we already owe.’ That’s helped the county progress, take care of our needs without putting a great burden on the taxpayers of this county. You don’t see him make speeches like Zeb and I are doing right now. He was the silent voice.”

Massie was succeeded by Michael McKenzie, who was sworn in as the new Finance Officer at the commissioners’ July meeting.