Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 05-03-2011 � APPROVED 8/23/2011 MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS REGULAR MEETING May 3, 2011 7:00 p.m. The Orange County Board of Commissioners met in regular session on May 3, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. at the DSS Offices, Hillsborough Commons in Hillsborough, N.C. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Bernadette Pelissier and Commissioners Valerie P. Foushee, Alice M. Gordon, Pam Hemminger, Earl McKee, and Steve Yuhasz COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: Barry Jacobs COUNTY ATTORNEYS PRESENT: John Roberts COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager Frank Clifton, Assistant County Manager and Gwen Harvey, and Clerk to the Board Donna S. Baker (All other staff inembers will be identified appropriately) 1. Additions or Chanqes to the Aqenda Chair Pelissier said that Commissioner Jacobs would be unable to attend tonight because he had some family business to attend to out of town. Chair Pelissier asked that the Board add two closed session items. A motion was made by Commissioner Foushee, seconded by Commissioner McKee to add two closed session items, as follows: "To consult with an attorney employed or retained by the public body in order to preserve the attorney - client privilege between the attorney and the public body, which privilege is hereby acknowledged," NCGS § 143-318.11(a)(3); and "To discuss matters related to the location or expansion of industries or other businesses in the area served by the public body, including agreement on a tentative list of economic development incentives that may be offered by the public body in negotiations," NCGS § 143- 318.11(a)(4). VOTE: UNANIMOUS 2. Public Comments a. Matters not on the Printed Aqenda Jim Dooley announced the 29th Hog Day, which will be on May 20th and 21St. It is a month early because there were so many complaints about the heat. He described the various events that are to take place during this event. They once again will be promoting recycling this year with the help of the Solid Waste staff. He thanked the Visitor's Bureau for their help in promoting this event and he thanked the Board of County Commissioners for all of their support. b. Matters on the Printed Aqenda � (These matters were considered when the Board addressed that item on the agenda below.) 3. Petitions by Board Members NONE 4. Proclamations/ Resolutions/ Special Presentations a. National Historic Preservation Month The Board considered proclaiming May 2011 as National Historic Preservation Month in Orange County and authorizing the Chair to sign. Tina Moon, staff to the Historic Preservation Commission, introduced HPC Chair Todd Dickenson. She said that the theme this year is Celebrating America's Treasures, which is designed to recognize the success of the Save America's Treasures program. This program has been one of the most successful grant programs that the federal government has provided for preservation purposes. Todd Dickenson read the proclamation. PROCLAMATION OF THE ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS NATIONAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION MONTH WHEREAS, historic preservation is an effective tool for managing growth, revitalizing neighborhoods, fostering local pride and maintaining community character while enhancing livability; and WHEREAS, historic preservation is relevant for communities across the nation, both urban and rural, and for Americans of all ages, all walks of life and all ethnic and cultural backgrounds; and WHEREAS, it is important to celebrate the role of history in our lives and the contributions made by dedicated individuals in helping to preserve the tangible aspects of the heritage that has shaped us as a people; and WHEREAS, Orange County has become a strong advocate for the protection of cultural and archaeological resources, and continues to pursue partnership opportunities to preserve these important and often irreplaceable resources, to seek new and innovative ways to make local history engaging to the public, and to encourage others to do the same; and WHEREAS, Orange County has demonstrated its commitment to historic preservation by using the restored Alexander Dickson House in Hillsborough as a visitor center, stabilizing the farmsteads at future County parks, including a cultural resources component to the 2030 Comprehensive Plan, and designating important properties with historic and architectural significance as local landmarks; and WHEREAS, "Celebrating America's Treasures" is the theme for National Historic Preservation Month 2011, and in Orange County is cosponsored by the Orange County Board of � Commissioners, the Orange County Historic Preservation Commission, the Historical Foundation of Hillsborough and Orange County, the Alliance for Historic Hillsborough and the National Trust for Historic Preservation; NOW THEREFORE, we, the Orange County Board of Commissioners, do hereby proclaim May 2011 as National Historic Preservation Month in Orange County and call upon the people of Orange County to join their fellow residents across the United States in recognizing and participating in this special observance. This the 3rd day of May, 2011. A motion was made by Commissioner Yuhasz, seconded by Commissioner Hemminger to approve proclaiming May 2011 as National Historic Preservation Month in Orange County and authorize the Chair to sign. VOTE: UNANIMOUS b. Older Americans Month Proclamation The Board considered approving a proclamation joining Federal and State governments in designating the month of May 2011 as Older Americans Month in Orange County and authorizing the Chair to sign. Director on Aging Janice Tyler said that this year's theme is Connecting the Community. This is especially fitting with the first Baby Boomers turning 65 years old this year. She said that 7,000 Boomers will be turning 65 every day for the next five years. This explosion of the population will have a dramatic effect on the community. There are currently over 19,000 older adults in Orange County and by the year 2030 this number will have doubled. She spoke about the upcoming events. She read the proclamation. Proclamation Older Americans Month - May 2011 WHEREAS, Orange County is a community that includes over 19,000 residents aged 60 and older and this population is the fastest growing segment of Orange County's population; and WHEREAS, the older adults in Orange County are the roots from which our community grows, who bestow gifts of wisdom and insight upon younger generations, and strengthen the bonds between neighbors to create a better place to live; and WHEREAS, our society can be enhanced by older adults aging peacefully in their communities; and WHEREAS, the older adults in Orange County should be commended for their role in creating and bolstering the fiber of our community and nation; and WHEREAS, our community can provide that recognition and respect by enriching the quality of life for older Americans by: Increasing their opportunities to remain in their communities as active and engaged residents; � Providing services, technologies, and support systems that allow seniors to foster and maintain connections within the community; and Emphasizing the value of elders by publicly recognizing their contributions to the diversity, strength, and unity of our community; and WHEREAS, the President of the United States and the Governor of North Carolina have declared May as Older Americans Month and join in celebrating this year's theme Older Americans: Connecting the Community; NOW, THEREFORE, we, the Orange County Board of Commissioners, do hereby proclaim May 2011 as Older Americans Month and urge all residents to take time this month to honor our older adults and the professionals, family members, and volunteers who care for them. Our recognition of older Americans and their involvement in our lives can help us achieve stronger and more meaningful connections with each other and enrich our community's quality of life. This the 3�d day of May, 2011. A motion was made by Commissioner Gordon, seconded by Commissioner Foushee to approve a proclamation joining Federal and State governments in designating the month of May 2011 as Older Americans Month in Orange County and authorize the Chair to sign. VOTE: UNANIMOUS c. Partnership to End Homelessness —Annual Report The Board received the 2010 Annual report of the Partnership to End Homelessness. Jamie Rohe is the Homelessness Program Coordinator for Orange County. She works for the Partnership to End Homelessness. She said that Chair Pelissier is currently the Vice- Chair of the Partnership to End Homelessness. She works in the Department of Housing, Human Rights, and Community Development, and Tara Fikes is her supervisor. She said that Orange County developed a 10-year plan to end homelessness and began implementation in 2008. Nationally, the federal policy at the Department of Housing and Urban Development is to finish the job of ending chronic homelessness and trending on focusing on preventing and ending homelessness among three primary groups —veterans, families, and youth and families. The most recent data from 2009-2010 shows that homelessness is leveling off, despite the recession and many policy experts attribute this to federal programs and stimulus money. She went over the report and highlighted the accomplishments from last year: - Forming committees and work groups and starting to implement the goals and strategies of the 10-year plan to end chronic homelessness. The committees and work groups are in the areas of employment, access to services, housing, and community participation - Held the 4th Annual Project Homeless Connect that provided 131 people who were homeless or at risk for homelessness with over 1,600 contacts with service providers. There were over 50 service providers at the Hargrave Center in Chapel Hill. - Began full implementation of the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-housing Program, known as HPRP, with a $1 million grant to fund the program over three years. This is being implemented by the Orange County Department of Social Services. She said that the rest of the report is organized by the four main service areas. � 1) Employment 2) Access to services 3) Housing 4) Community Participation The Employment Work Group includes partners such as Job Link, Durham Tech, and the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce. The major accomplishments included developing an employment program for people who are homeless or who are at risk for homelessness to help them document their job-preparedness to potential employees. The main goal for this year is to implement that program and also to recruit employers who are willing to employ the people that graduate from the program. The Access to Services Work Group includes the Orange-Person-Chatham Area Program, Piedmont Health Services, InterFaith Council for Social Services, Veteran's Administration, and the Department of Social Services. This group is working on increasing access to health services, dental services, mental health care services, legal services, and others for the homeless and at-risk population. There is also a Services Coordination team, which is a small group of service providers who work with chronically homeless people, law enforcement officers, and outreach workers. The goal of this group is to help everyone come together and develop a treatment plan for people who are chronically homeless. One of the partners is Carolina Health Net, which is collaboration among Piedmont Health Services and the UNC Hospital System to serve people who are uninsured. Since 2008, they have served 33 homeless patients in Orange County, including 18 last year. The main goals are to increase the access, the applications, and access to disability benefits so that there will be income to pay for the services. The Housing Work Group has goals that revolve around permanent supportive housing for people that are chronically homeless. Since 2006, they have developed 11 out of the goal of 40 of these permanent supportive housing units, which are apartments. The main goals for this work group are to join with the 100,000 Homeless Campaign, which is a national campaign that is an effective model for developing this permanent supportive housing and gaining community support for it. The Community Participation Work Group has two main goals —to support volunteer efforts to prevent homelessness and to educate the community about the issues of homelessness. This work group is focusing on developing a support circle program, which is mostly people from faith-based groups who adopt homeless individuals and families and become their support network. Chair Pelissier said that there are a number of agencies whose job it is to address issues related to homelessness, the partnership with the board really leverages a lot of resources in the community that could not otherwise be done. She thanked everyone on the partnership on the board for the work that is being done, as well as all of the volunteers. 5. Consent Aqenda A motion was made by Commissioner Hemminger, seconded by Commissioner Foushee to approve those items on the consent agenda as stated below: a. Minutes The Board approved the minutes from March 15 and 17, 2011 as submitted by the Clerk to the Board. b. Appointments — None � c. Motor Vehicle Property Tax Release/Refunds The Board adopted a refund resolution, which is incorporated by reference, related to 36 requests for motor vehicle property tax releases or refunds in accordance with NCGS. d. Oranqe County HOME Consortium Aqreement The Board adopted a resolution, which is incorporated by reference, authorizing the execution of a HOME Consortium Agreement for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2011 e. Community Development Block Grant Proqram —Adoption of Section 3 Plan and Equal Employment and Procurement Plan The Board adopted and authorized the Chair to sign the Section 3 Plan and Equal Employment and Procurement Plan for two FY 2010 Community Development Block Grant Awards. f. Consolidated Housinq Plan Annual Action Plan/HOME Proqram The Board adopted a Resolution, which is incorporated by reference, approving the FY 2011-2012 Consolidated Housing Plan Annual Action Plan; and adopted a Resolution, which is incorporated by reference, approving the proposed HOME Program Activates for 2011-2012 and authorized the Manager to implement the program. g_ Leqal Advertisement for Quarterly Public Hearinq — May 23, 2011 The Board approved the legal advertisement for items to be presented at the joint Board of county Commissioners/Planning Board Quarterly Public Hearing scheduled for May 23, 2011. h. Expansion of Reqional Partnership Workforce Development Board (WDB) The Board approved and authorized the Chair to sign the Regional Consortium Partnership Agreement; the Resolution Designating the Regional Partnership to encompass Montgomery and Moore Counties; and the State and Local Area Memorandum of Agreement. The Board also authorized staff to continue its research and return in the fall with additional assessment of future implications and options for realignment more favorable to county needs. VOTE ON CONSENT AGENDA: UNANIMOUS 6. Items Removed From Consent Aqenda — NONE 7. Public Hearinqs - NONE 8. Reqular Aqenda a. Resolution of Approval — Conservation Easement for the Svkes Dairy Farm; and Approval of Budqet Amendment #9-A The Board considered a resolution to approve the purchase of and acceptance by Orange County of an agricultural conservation easement for the Sykes family dairy, and approve Budget Amendment#9-A and authorize the Chair and the Clerk to sign. Department of Environment, Agriculture, Parks, and Recreation Director Dave Stancil said that he is pleased to come on the nearly 10th anniversary of the first agricultural conservation easement to share about this project for the Sykes Dairy. This is one of eight remaining dairies in Orange County. He gave some background information. Land Conservation Manager Rich Shaw made a PowerPoint presentation. Agricultural Conservation Easement � Sykes Dairy Orange County Lands Legacy Program Federal Farm & Ranchland Protection Program Agricultural Conservation Easement Sykes Dairy •Former W.V. Sykes dairy •5618 Vernon Rd •Holstein cows •Milk production •Cropland •Permanently protected farmland •Cane Creek watershed •Landowners compensated (PDR) - $500,000, which is 95% of the appraised value. Fifty- three percent of that payment will be paid from the federal government through the Farm and Ranchland Protection Program and 47% will come from the County. The Sykes will be donating 5% of the value. •Orange County/ Federal cost share •12th farm with Lands Legacy The conservation easement is 160 acres in the forward part of the property. It is prime farmland and it is helping to protect the water supply watershed. The Manager's recommendation is that the Board adopt the resolution, including the acceptance by Orange County of the conservation easement with the closing and recordation of the document expected to occur on or about June 30, 2011; and to approve Budget Amendment#9-A, which is incorporated by reference. Rich Shaw introduced the Sykes family that was in the audience. ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS RESOLUTION Approval of Agricultural Conservation Easement between Orange County and the Sykes Family Limited Partnership WHEREAS, agriculture in Orange County is an important facet of the economy and time honored way of life in the County; and � WHEREAS, Orange County has an adopted goal promoting the preservation of farmland in the County; and WHEREAS, one component of the Lands Legacy Program is the acquisition of conservation easements on prime farmland within water supply watersheds; and WHEREAS, the Sykes dairy farm includes approximately 160 acres in the Cane Creek protected watershed, consists entirely of prime agricultural soils, and is located in an agricultural community with good access to farm markets; and WHEREAS, Orange County intends to accept an agricultural conservation easement that would help to conserve the natural and scenic values of this farmland; and WHEREAS, a matching grant was awarded to Orange County from the federal Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program to help purchase the conservation easement; and WHEREAS, a conservation easement on this 160 acres would ensure the preservation of this farmland for future generations and help to compensate the owners for this long- term commitment; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Orange County Board of Commissioners does hereby 1) accept on behalf of Orange County the agricultural conservation easement to protect prime farmland owned by Sykes Family Limited Partnership; 2) approve the execution of this conservation easement agreement with Sykes Family Limited Partnership, in accordance with the terms of the proposed easement agreement, subject to final review by staff and the County Attorney; 3) authorize the Chair and the Clerk to sign the easement agreement on behalf of the Board, with a closing to occur on or about June 30, 2011; and 4) authorize County staff to sign any and all closing documents upon consultation with the County Attorney. This the 3rd day of May, 2011. A motion was made by Commissioner Foushee, seconded by Commissioner Hemminger to adopt a resolution approving the acceptance by Orange County of the conservation easement and authorize the Chair and the Clerk to sign the conservation easement agreement, subject to final review by staff and County Attorney, with a closing and recordation of the document expected to occur on or about June 30, 2011, and approve Budget Amendment#9-A. VOTE: UNANIMOUS b. Bus Route 420 (Hillsborouqh to Chapel Hill) Service Chanqes The Board considered approving changes of Route 420 as proposed by Triangle Transit and Orange Public Transportation (OPT). Planning Director Craig Benedict introduced AI Terry, Orange Public Transportation Manager. He said that this item has to do with bus route 420, which is a route between � Hillsborough and Chapel Hill. This route was first initiated by OPT and the ridership was so good that it was picked up by Triangle Transit, which provided part of the funding. Two entities were hired to run the route — Chapel Hill Transit for peak service in the morning and afternoon and OPT for the midday service. This route has been doing well since 2008. The bad news is that Triangle Transit no longer wants to fund the midday service, which was about four routes that OPT was running. Triangle Transit was funding 50% of those midday routes. There were four routes midday and this will be pulled back to two. There will be some financial implications to this, but these have not been completely sorted out. The timeframe for the changes are that there will be a public comment period tonight and a decision will be made in August. There will be a new Hillsborough Circulator Route. June 6th is the initiation date for this circulator route. Commissioner Gordon said that Triangle Transit evaluates its routes every year and they look at the average ridership for these routes. The peak service ridership for this route is better than the average ridership for Triangle Transit routes. She asked if the service changes would negatively affect the midday commuters. AI Terry said that one of the planners from TT rode the midday route two weeks ago for two days to get input from the riders about their feelings about the reduction in routes from four to two. He is currently compiling the data and he will provide it to the Board of County Commissioners when it becomes available. In his opinion, there will be very little impact because the 420 route transformed into a commuter route for medical workers (residents in the northern part of the County) to get back and forth to work. The impact that he sees would be with the Hillsborough Circulator. Since there will only be two midday trips for the 420, it will not connect up as often in the middle of the day as it does in the a.m. and p.m. Commissioner Gordon asked about the two stops being eliminated. AI Terry said that the Sportsplex has never been a very productive pickup or drop-off point. Commissioner McKee made reference to the consolidation of the dental clinic and asked if this would affect the users of this clinic. AI Terry said that, unless the people can access a bus route in Chapel Hill and then transfer to the 420, there may be some implications. He is looking at opportunities for OPT to branch out and provide services to that facility so that the people in Carrboro will have access. Commissioner McKee asked if the four trips were needed down the line if Orange County would have to pick up the cost. AI Terry said yes. Commissioner Hemminger said that she was surprised at the high number of riders in the morning and she asked for an estimate of how many were riding in the morning. AI Terry said that it is a 44-seat bus that Chapel Hill Transit uses. When he was operating it, he had a 28-passenger bus with people standing in the aisles. Commissioner Hemminger asked about how someone from Carrboro could access the dental clinic and it was answered that there would have to be at least one transfer. Commissioner Gordon said that there is the question about seniors who may want to use the route for midday and of course the questions about the dental clinic. Chair Pelissier asked if there was any idea about how many people taking the 420 bus live north of Hillsborough. AI Terry said that he would say that about 65% live north of Hillsborough- in Person and Durham Counties. Chair Pelissier said that she too has concerns about addressing those residents that may come for dental services. AI Terry said that the Health Department is doing a screening of clients at the Carrboro clinic. He has not received this information yet. � A motion was made by Commissioner Hemminger, seconded by Commissioner Yuhasz to approve the proposed changes to the midday service operated by OPT and forward to Triangle Transit. VOTE: UNANIMOUS 9. Reports-NONE 10. County Manaqer's Report - NONE 11. County Attorney's Report John Roberts said that the Orange-Alamance County Line bills both went through Senate Finance Committee today and there were no problems. The surveys for the 91% at the line are complete and once these are put in a large plat that will be filed in the Register of Deeds office in Orange County and Alamance County and the North Carolina Secretary of State. The Senate Bill 183, the outdoor advertising sign legislation was amended and there is a second edition now moving through the Senate. In this edition, all of the language was taken out that eliminated local governments' ability to control and regulate digital advertising. There is another bill going through the House that will amend the statute of limitations for zoning and challenges to zoning ordinances or UDOs. It will amend it from two months to two years and would allow anyone to sue, to challenge a UDO within two years of the moment they acquire land. The North Carolina Association of County Commissioners is fighting this one and he will send some of his own comments. 12. Appointments a. Oranqe County Arts Commission —Appointments The Board considered making appointments to the Orange County Arts Commission. A motion was made by Commissioner Hemminger, seconded by Commissioner Foushee to appoint the suggested list: Position Number— Name Special Representative Expiration Date 1 Katherine Dickson At-Large 03/31/2012 (New appointment) 2 Cher Tuskey At-Large 03/31/2012 (New appointment) 6 Leah Rade At-Large 03/31/2013 12 Emily Lees At-Large 03/31/2012 14 Charles Hochman At-Large 03/31/2013 VOTE: UNANIMOUS b. Human Relations Commission — New Appointment The Board considered making one first term appointment to the Human Relations Commission. A motion was made by Commissioner Hemminger, seconded by Commissioner Foushee to appoint Mr. Preston Scott Phillips to the Town of Carrboro position with an expiration date of June 30, 2013. VOTE: UNANIMOUS c. Hyconeechee Reqional Library Board — New Appointment � The Board considered making one appointment to the Hyconeechee Regional Library Board. A motion was made by Commissioner Hemminger, seconded by Commissioner McKee to appoint Amy Efland to an At-Large position with an expiration date of March 31, 2012. VOTE: UNANIMOUS d. Hillsborouqh Planninq Board — New Appointment The Board considered making one first term appointment to the Hillsborough Planning Board. A motion was made by Commissioner McKee, seconded by Commissioner Hemminger to appoint Janie Morris to a first term expiring May 31, 2014. VOTE: UNANIMOUS e. Board of Social Services —Appointment The Board considered making one second term appointment to the Board of Social Services. A motion was made by Commissioner Foushee, seconded by Commissioner Hemminger to appoint Patricia Garavaglia to a second term expiring June 30, 2014. VOTE: UNANIMOUS 13. Board Comments Commissioner Gordon made reference to Triangle Transit news and stated that the ridership made an all-time new monthly record. In March, there were 124,000+ riders, which is up 21% over 2010. Commissioner Gordon said that the 19 workshops on the bus/rail planning are being completed and 1,100 people attended with over 1,000,000 website hits to www.transitfuture.com. Triangle Transit buses have added wi-fi and this has been a success. She said that there is still time to get in on the Smart Commute Challenge. The website is www.smartcommutechallenqe_org. The goal is 10,000 pledges by June. Commissioner Hemminger—none Commissioner Foushee — none Commissioner Yuhasz— none Commissioner McKee thanked the military for the removal of a leader that threatened our national security. Chair Pelissier— none 14. Information Items • April 19, 2011 BOCC Meeting Follow-up Actions List 15. Closed Session A motion was made by Commissioner Hemminger, seconded by Commissioner McKee to go into closed session at 8:11 p.m.: "To consult with an attorney employed or retained by the public body in order to preserve the attorney - client privilege between the attorney and the public body, which privilege is hereby acknowledged," NCGS § 143-318.11(a)(3); and "To discuss matters related to the location or expansion of industries or other businesses in the area served by the public body, including agreement on a tentative list of economic � development incentives that may be offered by the public body in negotiations," NCGS § 143- 318.11(a)(4). VOTE: UNANIMOUS RECONVENE INTO REGULAR SESSION A motion was made by Commissioner Foushee, seconded by Commissioner Hemminger to reconvene into regular session at 9:30 p.m. VOTE: UNANIMOUS 16. Adjournment A motion was made by Commissioner Hemminger, seconded by Commissioner Yuhasz to adjourn the meeting at 9:30 p.m. VOTE: UNANIMOUS Bernadette Pelissier, Chair Donna S. Baker, CMC Clerk to the Board