HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 19730918The Board of County Commissioners of Orange County met at 8;00 P.M, on Tuesday,
September 18, 1973, in regular session in the. District Courtroom of the Courthouse
in Hillsborough.
Members Present: Chairman Norman Walker and Commissioners Flora Garrett, Henry
S. Walker, Richard E. Whitted and Melvin Whitfield.
Members Absent: None
S. M. Gattis, County Administrator, and Betty Juna Hayes, Clerk to the Board,
were also present.
In the absence oP the Clerk the County Administrator, S. M. Gattfe, recorded
a portion of the minutes and the other portion was recorded by the Clerk.
Chairman Norman Walker oalled for dissuasion of the Ens River Valley Agreement.
Commissioner Flora Garrett stated that she felt a auboommittee of the Board
should meat and prepared a letter of response to Dr. Arthur Cooper's request for
comments on the proposed draft oP the agreement.
Commissioner Richard E. Whitted stated that he slap felt the Board should
comment on the position taken in this draft.
Commissioner Henry S. Walker agrAed with Commissioners Flora Garrett and Richard
~. Whined stating he felt the County owed some reaponae to Dr. Cooper's remarks.
He suggested some Board members meet and prepare a proposed comment on the agreement
for full Board consideration.
Chairman Norman Walker recognized Mra. illoria Williams rdho desired to speak
agad~n on the Community Centers Program.
Prior to Mra. Williams speaking about the program Chairman Norman Walker
read a letter from C. T. Fulkerson, the current Director of the Joint Orange-
Chatham Community Action Program.
Mr a. Williams took exception to the statements in Mr. Fulkerson's letter and
called upon Mra. Marilyn Tyroler, who also took exception to Mr. Fulkerson's letter.
Mra. Tyroler continued by saying the Chatham County appointees oontrolled the CED
Organization at present and the policies they instituted implemented few of the
programs the Orange County Board desired. She felt that our people oould beat be
served if we freed ourselves from the Chatham County people and organized a
Community Centers program of our own.
Mr. John Henry Thompson, a member of the Joint Drange-Chatham Board and its
Personnel Committee stated hie committee had nominated Mr. Fulkerson as the
Director oP the program after the resignation of Mrs. Ramsey because they felt the
replacement should acme from within the organization. Mr. Fulkeraon was recovmlended
beasuae the committee felt he was well vualified Par the job and met the in house
requirement. Mr. Thompson stated he wished the County would make the $20,000
appropriation, however, he had serious differences with the policies being pushed
by Mrs. Williams and Mra. Tyroler. Further he felt that the only persons desiring
joint Orange-Chatham tv split were a few people from Chapel Rill who had the idea
of aeleating the Director of their choice. He felt that another reason for the
desired split was hatred. Re, personally, wished the two County organizatiana could
stay together.
Mrs. williams partially responded to Mr. Thompson'a statement by stating the
joint board did not know of the directorship vaaenay until the night they were asked
to make the replacement. Mrs. Williams stated that the current Community Action
Agency was comprised of three (3) Boards. The Orange County Board, the Chatham
County Board and the Joint Orange-Chatham Hoard.
Commissioner Flora Garrett stated she cams on the Orange-Chatham Board shortly
after becoming a County Commissioner. At that time she founfl the organization to be
torn with disaentien and she wsa not fully satisfied that she knew everything that
was going on.
Chairman Norman Walker stated that tonights presentation had pointed out more
than ever the thorough confusion that existed within the organization. Chairman
Norman Walker stated that the only thing that was standing between the adoption of
the County Budget was the $20,000.00 request from the Community Centers, Inc. and
the $3,DDD.DD appropriation from the OEO Board.
Commissioner Richard E. Whitted etatsd that he was not a member of either the
Orange Board or the Joint Orange-Chatham Board. However, since the disagreement over
the proposed Community Center a, Inc. $20,000.00 budget request that he had attended
the various Board meetings. That he did not believe that there would be any
duplication of services due to the fact that the Orange County Board had been keeping
the Community Centers open and that these centers were providing a service to citizens
of the area that was net being provided by any other governmental agency.
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Commissioner Henry 3. Walker stated he felt tlsl.a program, if operated at all,
should be operated by each community without the assistance of governmental funds.
IIpon motion of Commissioner Henry S. Walker, aeaonded by Commissioner Melvin
Whitfield, it was moved, that the 1973-1974 County Budget be approved leaving out
the $20,000.00 appropriation Por Community Canter Programs and the $3,000.00 for
the Community Action Program.
Commissioner Flora Garrett stated that if this motion were passed the Community
Centers Program would be oloaed and the County~s connection with the Community Action
Program would be severed.
Chairman Norman Walker called Por a vote on the motion. Commissioners $enry S.
Walker, Mslvin Whitfield and Norman Walker voted aye. Commissioners Flora Garrett
and Richard E. Whined voted nay. Chairman Norman Walker deolared the motion passed.
Chairman Norman Walker stated that the Board had deferred cation on appointing
citizens to various Committees and Boards. Tho County Administrator advised the
Board that Bohn Link of Fho Township had advised him that he was not in the position
to nontinue to serve as a member of the County Board of Adjuatmenta, therefore, he
was resigning from the position and that a letter of resignation would be tendered
at a later date. Discussion enaued.sa to this appointment.
Chairman Norman Walker advised the Board that Ronnie Mann now served ea the
<ernate member On the County Board of Adjuatmenta. Chairman Norman Walker
suggested that the Board aonsidsr appointing Ronnie Mann to fill the unexpired term
of John Link due to the fact that Mr. Mann wsa now serving as an alternate and was
attending a number of the meetings oP the County Board of Adjustments. He also
presented the name aP Ralph Dennis for the Boards oonaideration.
Commissioner Flora Garrett stated that based on the conversation, that had been
held en this matter on the first Monday, that she had contacted Hrs. Jean Anderson
and inquired if Mrs. Anderson would be willing to serve sa a member of the County
Board of Adjustments and that she wished to, name Mra. Anderson to fill the position
now vacant on the County Board of Adjustments and that ohs also wished to name Mary
Whitted as an alternate. Discussion ensued.
Chairman Norman Walker suggested that Ronnie Mann be appointed to the Board,
that Ralph Dennis be oonsidered as first alternate and that Jean Anderson be considered
as the second alternate.
Commissioner Flora Garrett stated that she would prefer to have Mrs. Anderson
as the regular member of the Board, Ronnie Mann as the Pirat alternate and Mary
Whined as the second alternate.
Commissioner Henry S. Walker suggested that Ronnie Mann be appointed as the
regular members, Mrs. Jean Anderson as the first alternate and Ralph Dennis as the
second alternate. Further dissuasion ensued.
Vpon motion of Commissioner Henry S. Walker, i,t was moved, that Ronnie Mann be
appointed to fill the vacanoy that did exist on the County Board of Adjuatmenta and
that Jean Anderson be appointed as the fir at alternate and that Ralph Dennis be
appointed as the aeaond alternate. Chairman Walker called Por a vote on the motion.
Com?nisaioners Henry S. Walker, Norman Walker and Melvin Whitfield voted aye.
Commissioners Flora Garrett and Richard E. Whined voted nay.
Commissioner Henry S. Walker nominated Ralph Dennis as the second alternate
member on the County Board of Adjuatmenta.
Commissioner Flora Garrett nominated Mary Whftted as the second alternate member
on the County Board oP Adjustments.
Chairman Norman Walker aallsd far a note on Commissioner I{enry S.`.Walker~s
nomination of Ralph Dennis as the second alternate member on the County BOard.oP
Adjuatmenta. Commissioners Henry S. Walker, Norman Walker and Melvin Whitfield
voted aye. Commissioners Flora Garrett and Riehard E. Whitted voted nay.
Commissioner Flora Garrett stated that she wanted an opportunity to vote
on her nominee even though it was evident that the nomination would be defeated
Chairman Norman Walker called for a note on Commissioner Flora Garrett~a
nomination oP Mary Whined ea the second alternate member on the County Board of
Adjustments. Commissioners Flora Garrett and Richard E. Whitted voted aye.
Commissioners Henry S. Walker, Norman Walker and Melvin Whitfield voted nay.
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Chairman Norman Walker infor-ned the Board that the term of George Spraney
on the Chapel Hill Planning Board had expired and that Arthur Hurow had resigned,
therefore, two vacancies did exist on the Chapel Hill Planning Board. No action
wsa taken on these vacancies.
The matter of Pilling the appointment on the Council on the Aging was
discussed. The County Administrator advised the Board that he had contacted
Alexander (Dan) Shepherd and Mr. Shepherd had agreed to serve on the Council.
Upon motion of Commissioner Flora Garrett, it was moved and adopted, that
Dan Shepherd be appointed as a member of the Couneil on the Aging.
The Htnergency Medical Services Council appointments was discussed by the
Board. Commissioner Flora Garrett stated that the Chairman of this $oard wsa
anxious to fill .the existing vacancy and that she had recon~,ended the names of
Claudia Cannada and Rebecca Clark, but that she had not contacted either of
these persons to see if they were willing to serve on the Council. Discussion
ensued.
Upon motion of Commissioner Flora Garrett, seconded by Commissioner Malvin
Whitfield, it was moved and adopted, that Claudia Cannada be appointed as a
member of the Fbzergency Medical Services Council.
Commissioner Richard S. Whitted stated that the Board needed to replace
Commissioner Ira A. Ward vn the Consumer's Utilities Corporation as e11 of the
studies ware now completed and its committee would need to proceed with a review
of the information.
Chairman Norman Walker suggested that Melvin Whitfield be appointed to this
position.
Commissioner Melvin Whitfield stated that he felt his lack of background
knowledge in this matter would be to his disadvantage and he would prefer that
one of the other members serve.
Upon motion of Commissioner Flora Garrett, seconded by Commissioner Richard
E. Whitted, it was moved, that Chairman Norman Walker be appointed to the
Consumer's Utilities Corporation and that Melvin Whitfield be appointed as the
member oa the Crange-Person-Chatham Mental Health Authority.
Chairman Norman Walker presented a letter from Lane Brown, Chairman of the
Statewide School Bond Issue. Said letter requested that the Board of Commissioners,
the Chairman of the Board of Education and Superintendents of the School Unit
appoint a local steering aommfttes that would work for the passage of the Bond
Issue.
Chairman Norman Walker stated that ~. Robert J. Murphy had approached him
relative to the matter of the purchase of approximately two cares of land Prom the
County. Dissuasion ensued. It wsa agreed that the Board would go into F~[ecutive
Session for the purpose of discussing Dr. Murphy's request.
Chairman Norman Walker then declared that the Board was meeting in Executive
Session. The County Administrator advised the Board that the first considerations
oP the Board had to be whether or not they wanted to sell the property that Dr.
Murphy was wanting to purchase. Discussion ensued. The Board appointed
Commissioner Henry S, Walker and Chairman Norman Walker sa a committee to review
the matter of the Bale of the land desired by the Northern Orange Medical
Foundation, Ina. The Committee was to report its findings and its reeoa~endations
beak to the Board at the earliest possible date.
Discussion ensued as to when the Board should review the recoumiendatione
oP the Tax Supervisor and the Assistant Tax Supervisor relative to the
investigations that had been conducted on the protests that had been filed with
the Board of Eouslization and Review. zt was agreed that the Soard would meet
again on Monday, September 21~, 1973, at B P.M. Por the purpose of reviewing the
properties that had been appealed.
The following items were filed with the Clerk:
1. Letter Prom C. T. Fulkeraon, Executive Director aP the Joint Orange-
Chatham Community Action, Inc. dated September 5,,1973.
2. Petitions signed by citiaena to Save the Multi Purpose Center.
There being no further business to come before the Board the meeting was
-" adfourned to meet again on September ?Ja., 1973.
C. Norman Walker, Chairman
S. M. Gattis, Acting Clerk
Betty June Hayes, Clerk