Michael Alford

The board agenda includes several key items, such as the review of the Financial Status Report for the General Fund, Capital Improvement Fund, and Endowment Fund. Committee reports will be presented from the Rules, Fisheries, Small Game, and Committee of the Whole. Regulatory actions include the review of public comments on CWD Management Areas and the consideration of requests for permanent rulemaking notices concerning wildlife management, inland fisheries, land and water access, wildlife education, and endangered species rules. Additionally, the commission will consider final determinations for periodic rules review.

The committee meeting agenda covers several key items related to internal audit and finance. Audit and compliance topics include revisions to the internal audit plan for the fiscal year, an engagement and observation update, administrative updates, and an independence and objectivity disclosure. Financial topics include a review of revenues and expenditures for general and capital funds, the endowment fund balance and current asset allocation, the utilization of earned investment income for the current fiscal year, and the allocation of investment income for the previous calendar year.

The Commission addressed mandatory ethics inquiries, adopted temporary amendments to seatrout rulemaking, and approved revisions to the 2026 meeting schedule. The Chairman also highlighted the upcoming turkey hunting season and emphasized the importance of supporting youth participation in hunting.

The commission conducted a mandatory ethics inquiry as required by state statute. The primary business item involved approving the publication of a Notice of Text in the North Carolina Register regarding temporary amendments to sea trout regulations, which includes an upcoming open comment period and a public hearing.

The committee meeting addressed several regulatory and management items, including the adoption of a water safety rule for Brunswick County, temporary rulemaking for inland fisheries concerning Sheepshead, and permanent rulemaking for license fees. The agenda also included a petition for rulemaking regarding the Butner-Falls of Neuse Game Land, a management update on Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), and a notice of text for temporary wildlife management rulemaking related to CWD management areas.