Hoke Contract Requirements Optional?
Opinion: Company formed Oct. 20 awarded a contract with Hoke County—posted only two days later—despite a requirement that applicants demonstrate experience in opioid treatment and recovery.
On. Dec. 1 the Hoke County Commission authorized contracts with two companies. Funds are coming from the state-authorized portion of the Opioid Settlement Funds. The motions, according to the meeting’s minutes were:
Upon motion made by Commissioner Thomas and second by
Commissioner Hunt, the Board unanimously approved Tia Hart Community
Recovery Organization and Branjusnic Educational Consultants funding by the
2025-2026 Opioid Settlement Funds.
The request for proposal—still on the county website—states:
Eligible Applicants
Non-profit or for-profit entities, local health or behavioral health providers, and community-based organizations with demonstrated experience in opioid abatement, treatment, recovery, or harm-reduction services. [Our bold face for clarity]
Applicants must:
Be registered to do business in North Carolina.
Comply with E-Verify under G.S. 64-26(a).
Not be suspended or debarred from federal, state, or local contracts.
Tia Hart has been operating in Hoke County for more than two decades. Its team has been addressing the opioid crisis and others that plague Hoke County.
Branjusnic Educational Consultants, according to the North Carolina Secretary of State, wasn’t authorized to operate as an LLC until Oct. 20, 2025 (as seen in the above graphic)—two days before Hoke County posted its official request for proposal.
According to the Commission meeting’s minutes, “Four proposals had been received, and staff recommended funding two local organizations.” [Our bold face, again]. According to the document filed with the Secretary of State Branjusnic Educational Consultants has a mailing address in Laurinburg, NC. Adell Baldwin Jr., a former employee in the Hoke County School System, is listed as registered agent for the LLC.
There’s no denying the opioid crisis needs to be addressed locally and nationally. The requirement for demonstrated experience in the field makes sense. The county exposing itself to official complaints or judicial relief—should the other two applicants press the matter in court—should be of concern for every taxpayer.
[For reader verification here is a direct link to the mentioned commission meeting minutes. Refer to page 7339 toward the end.]
Check the owners of these companies. That'll tell you lots.
Adell Baldwin is the owner of Branjusnic. I believe he lives in Hoke County and Scotland County (Scotland during the week and Hoke on the weekend, and his wife and children live at their home near downtown Raeford).
He has to maintain a Scotland County address because he's the Superintendent of Scotland County Schools. I think that most would consider him a local. During the meeting, his request for the funding was compelling. His proposal seemed to aim to prevent drug abuse by working with students, which he is certainly experienced in working with. He was a very respected, and loved educator and principal in Hoke County for quite a while. Many people have expressed great interest in getting him back to Hoke County.
Do we know who the other two bidders were? Sorry if it missed it in the article, I'm reading on mobile.