Craven County puts $50,360 into Craven 100 Alliance as New Bern and Havelock renew
The county's share is set at 50 cents per resident, and Havelock's is $7,164. In both votes, an official who sits on the alliance's board was recused under a state law.
Craven County pays into the Craven 100 Alliance by head count: 50 cents for every county resident, County Manager Jack Veit told commissioners. On July 6, 2026, they voted 5-0 to approve the county's annual contribution, $50,360.
The county was one of three governments to renew. Craven County, the City of New Bern and the City of Havelock have each put money back into the alliance, the county's public-private economic development partnership. The alliance thanked each of them in LinkedIn posts on Aug. 5, 6 and 7, 2026. Public meeting records show what two of the three renewals are worth.
The county's money could not ride in the regular budget. A state law bars public officials from voting to award money to a nonprofit they are associated with, and Commissioners Chairman Denny Bucher sits on the alliance's board. So the contribution was taken out of the regular county budget and voted on separately, as a budget amendment from the general fund. Bucher was recused for the vote, according to the approved minutes.
Havelock took the same step first. On June 22, 2026, its Board of Commissioners adopted the city's share: $7,164 for the fiscal year running July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027. The vote was 4-0 after Commissioner Danny Walsh, also an alliance board member, was recused under the same law.
The alliance did not give a dollar figure for New Bern's renewal. Its Aug. 5 post said the city's money helps "fuel the recruitment, jobs, and development shaping our region's future."
The governments that pay in also sit at the top of the alliance. The county manager and the city managers of New Bern and Havelock are on its executive committee. Owen Andrews chairs the board, and Jeff Wood, the county's economic development director, also directs the alliance.
Known as C1A, the alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Its description on the Craven County website says it is funded by the private sector, the county and the two cities, and invests "in infrastructure, real estate and companies directly." Veit told commissioners that private businesses also hold fundraisers to support the work.
One current project is in Havelock. At the commissioners' June 1, 2026 meeting, Veit reported that consultant Timothy Downs represents the alliance on a project there that "reenvisions property for economic development purposes," the minutes say.
About this story
By Sotwire Desk. Written by Sotwire Desk from the sources below. Not a company attestation.
Sotwire Desk. Written by a named Sotwire editor from the sources cited below. Not a company attestation. Sotwire corrects errors publicly.
Key facts
- Craven 100 Alliance
- New Bern, NC
- Funding
- Desk reported
- Sotwire Desk
- $50,360 budget amendment from the general fund, set at 50 cents per Craven County resident
- 5-0 on July 6, 2026; Chairman Denny Bucher recused
- $7,164 for the fiscal year July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027
- 4-0 on June 22, 2026; Commissioner Danny Walsh recused
- Amount not given by the alliance
- N.C.G.S. 14-234.3, which bars public officials from voting to award money to a nonprofit they are associated with
- Craven 100 Alliance (C1A), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public-private economic development partnership
- Private sector, Craven County, City of New Bern and City of Havelock; private businesses also hold fundraisers
- Owen Andrews
- Jeff Wood, also Craven County economic development director
- Includes the Craven County manager and the city managers of New Bern and Havelock
- Consultant Timothy Downs represents the alliance; the June 1, 2026 minutes give no other details
- Baxter's 1892, downtown New Bern; sponsored by Duke Energy
- John Longshore, director of location strategy and development services, Brasfield & Gorrie
Key events
- Jack Veit reported a Havelock project with consultant Timothy Downs
- Havelock commissioners adopted a $7,164 contribution, 4-0
- Craven County commissioners approved $50,360, 5-0
- Alliance thanked the City of New Bern on LinkedIn
- Alliance thanked the City of Havelock on LinkedIn
- Alliance thanked Craven County on LinkedIn
- Alliance thanked attendees of its 2026 annual meeting
Sources
- City of New Bern renewed its investment in Craven 100 Alliance (Aug. 5, 2026) · Craven 100 Alliance (LinkedIn) · accessed 2026-10-17
- City of Havelock renewed its investment in Craven 100 Alliance (Aug. 6, 2026) · Craven 100 Alliance (LinkedIn) · accessed 2026-10-17
- Craven County renewed its investment in Craven 100 Alliance (Aug. 7, 2026) · Craven 100 Alliance (LinkedIn) · accessed 2026-10-17
- Craven County Board of Commissioners, July 6, 2026 regular session minutes (approved) · Craven County · accessed 2026-10-17
- City of Havelock Board of Commissioners, June 22, 2026 regular meeting minutes · City of Havelock · accessed 2026-10-17
- Craven County Board of Commissioners, June 1, 2026 regular session minutes (approved) · Craven County · accessed 2026-10-17
- Craven 100 Alliance - About Us · Craven County · accessed 2026-10-17
- Craven 100 Alliance Board of Directors · Craven County · accessed 2026-10-17
- C1A post describing its funding model (Sept. 28, 2026) · Craven 100 Alliance (LinkedIn) · accessed 2026-10-17
- C1A post on 2026 annual meeting (Sept. 25, 2026) · Craven 100 Alliance (LinkedIn) · accessed 2026-10-17