Duplin County, North Carolina

115 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 9, ISSUE 12 community partnerships. It is also an important partner for the community because it offers co-ops and apprenticeships to students. James Sprunt is known for its customized training programs and for training future employees in key industries and operates an “open door” admissions policy that does not impose restrictive standards for admissions and is open to all those 18 or older or whose high school class has graduated. As such it has received state funding for such initiatives. Another way to keep recent graduates of James Sprunt in the county is to constantly improve the infrastructure it offers residents and business owners. Duplin County’s water system serves nearly 8,000 customers over 700 miles of water lines. Brinson says it is applying for grants to help fund water line infrastructure upgrades to support future population growth. “This is necessary because we have seen our water use double in the last decade or so,” he says. Any grants would help pay for more wells, water lines, and elevated storage tanks. Duke Energy provides much of the electrical service in Duplin County although there are three electric co-ops that provide additional options. If there’s one consistent theme to Duplin County’s recent success it is the financial support it has garnered for all these developments and other efforts aimed to grow the county’s resources and support its residents and businesses. Shields says the county has received more than $51 million in total through lobbying efforts and partnerships. Much of this funding has been secured in the last three years, during which time the pandemic started, the county battled a fierce ransomware attack and dealt with the unexpected passing of a beloved county commissioner. “Helping one another helps all. And that’s what I love best about this county,” Chairman Edwards concludes. A premier provider of temperature-controlled storage and logistics. BEST IN COLD Contact: USCS Warsaw (910) 293-7400 240 Bruce Costin Rd Warsaw, NC 28398 us cold .com PREFERRED VENDOR/PARTNER n Duplin County Schools www.duplinschools.net Duplin County is located in Eastern North Carolina. It is a county rich in agriculture, where we have the privilege of feeding the world. Our school system is built on strong community partnerships. Teachers are empowered to become teacher leaders and are allowed to be creative and make decisions that affect the classroom. Duplin County Schools is a STEAMA-driven district providing personalized career pathways for all students by connecting curriculum and communities. n James Sprunt Community College www.jamessprunt.edu n United States Cold Storage Inc www.uscold.com