Civil Municipal Magazine - Nov 2023

31 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 11 BERT I E COUNT Y, NORTH CAROL INA a rural community our size. The County built the hospital facility to attract the expansion of a first-rate regional medical center. We have more surgeries done here in our hospital, from people outside of the county, than from inside the county.” Additionally, Bertie County has invested in renovating a local correctional facility, a senior’s center, libraries, and a courthouse. “We have a courthouse that was built in 1877. We put $800,000 into it, instead of electing to build a $22 million courthouse,” Trent elaborates. “We had people shooting commercials in front of the courthouse after we finished it.” Bertie County is making strides in the fields of arts and culture, with the recent launch of the inaugural “Pecan Pickling Short Film Festival” by Equity Films. “This new venture in the southern part of the state has done a tremendous job of attracting entrepreneurial and emerging film companies. When these filmmakers see what we have in beautiful Bertie, they are amazed”, describes Wesson. The county is also a front-runner in the sustainable energy sector with a methane-capturing plant in West Bertie County. This facility captures methane emissions from Purdue, Darling, and other sources, supplying electricity to 12,000 homes. “Not only that, in our area of West Bertie County, it has lowered the carbon emission by 72%,” boasts Trent. A Bright Future: Planning and Investment for Bertie County Looking ahead, Bertie County’s future appears promising, guided by planning and investment. Wesson talks about the county’s progress in projects like Bertie Beach and the teacher housing complex, suggesting, “We’re already looking at the next phase of another kind of workforce housing project because we know that’s the key to keeping your best and