ELIZABETHTOWN — Bladen County’s Health Department is expected to start vaccinations in the ages 75-and-up group this week or next.

Dr. Terri Duncan, director of the department, shared the news during an update at Monday’s meeting of the county commissioners.

Duncan said thus far, there hasn’t been anyone to have an adverse reaction to inoculation. Dr. Danny Ellis, a freshman commissioner, shared a positive first-hand experience with the panel and the limited audience in the Superior Courtroom of the county courthouse.

Duncan said Bladen County Hospital is nearing capacity.

In other matters, the commissioners unanimously passed:

• correspondence regarding staffing levels at the N.C. Department of Transportation facility at White Lake.

• an application from Bladen County Schools to the N.C. Education Lottery Public School Building Capital Fund in the amount of $65,885.70. The funds will help replace a cafeteria at Elizabethtown Middle School.

• interlocal agreements for a Stormwater Drainage Project Grant with, respectively, Elizabethtown, Tar Heel, White Lake, Bladenboro, Clarkton and Dublin.

The board was updated by Dean Morris, director of the Soil & Water Conservation District, on stream debris removal projects. He said contractors are finished in Lower East Arcadia, the White Oak Canal and a canal in the Kelly area.

Morris said Big Swamp is being handled in three sections, with one contract already let and two more to be done. He said the department hopes to have those contracted in the next month.

The board went into closed session for the purpose of discussing personnel. The panel met for about 30 minutes to close out its 90-minute session, with Sheriff Jim McVicker present for the majority of the closed session.

The board took no action after returning to open session.

Alan Wooten can be reached at 910-247-9132 or awooten@bladenjournal.com. Twitter: @alanwooten19.