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MINUTES
ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ANNUAL RETREAT
FEBRUARY Z, 2002
The Orange County Board of Commissioners met for their annual Board retreat on Saturday,
February 2, 2002 at 9:00 a.m. at the Southern Human Services Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Barry Jacobs and Commissioners Margaret W.
Brown, Moses Carey, Jr., Alice M. Gordan, and Stephen H. Halkiotis
COUNTY ATTORNEY PRESENT: Geoffrey Gledhill and S. Sean Borhanian
COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager Jahn M. Link, Jr., Assistant County Manager Rod
Visser and Clerk to the Board Beverly A. Blythe (all other staff members will be identified appropriately
below}
NOTE: ALL DOCUMENTS REFERRED TO IN THESE MINUTES ARE IN THE PERMANENT
AGENDA FILE IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE. ALL RECORDINGS OF THE MEETING WILL BE KEPT
FOR 5 YEARS.
OPENING COMMENTS
Chair Jacobs spoke on behalf of the County Commissioners and said that they were proud of the
County staff and appreciate their work. He said that they were proud of what County employees do for
the citizens of Orange County.
1. BRAINSTORMING, GENERAL DISCUSSION {Facilitated by Julia Mack)
Julia Mack, facilitator, said that her goal is to have a written record of the brainstorming session
and to keep the discussion on track. She went over the ground rules. She asked the County
Commissioners to comment on what they want to accomplish -regulations versus reasonableness
dealing with an agricultural based economy, which is in the transitional phase of moving into new
endeavors. This was an opportunity for the Commissioners to talk freely about different issues.
Chair Jacobs spoke about customer service and said that the County does a good job but he
feels we could do a better job. He feels that if we were in business we would treat our customers
different because we would want them to come back.
Commissioner Halkiotis said that something the County has tried to accomplish in the past is
regulations versus reasonableness. He said that one of the many challenges the County is facing is
dealing with an agricultural based economy in the central and northern end of the County that is in a
transition phase of moving beyond many of the traditional practices and going into new endeavors.
Sometimes these endeavors slam head-on with County and State regulations. He would like to respond
and deal with this so that all departments understand that the County is supporting agricultural activity.
He said that it angers the people that we are trying to help. He would like to have a roundtable
discussion and put this issue to rest.
Chair Jacobs made reference to customer service and said that the County could do a better jab
at serving its citizens. He would also like to continue to promote cooperation between the two school
systems.
Commissioner Carey would like to continue to promote cooperation with the Towns and
surrounding counties. He spoke about economic justice. He wants to know haw much of the $75 million
band is going to be spent through minority and female owned and operated companies. He knows there
are some goals for this, but he is not aware of how well we are implementing those goals.
Commissioner Halkiotis made reference to an unresolved issue a couple of years ago related to
value engineering, construction management, and how the County can have a good understanding of
buildings and land development being put together in a very cost effective manner.
Chair Jacobs said that he had lunch with Mayor Foy and Mayor Phelps and that Chapel Hill has
asked its staff to develop a value engineering component in its rehabilitation of the Hargraves Center.
Maybe there can be same cooperation with Chapel Hill and the County.
Commissioner Gordon said that we should try to make as rapid progress as possible to complete
the initiatives that we have already begun. One of the issues is the Greene Tract.
Chair Jacobs said that he would like to see a social justice goal that would include tracking
minority contracting, affirmative hiring, inclusive signage, living wage, fuel fund and utility assistance,
urgent home repair program, improved nursing home oversight, follow up for Human Services Advisory
Commission Symposia, etc. He said that we do more than is required of us as a local government and
go beyond what the State and the federal government does to try and provide a safety net for citizens
who might otherwise struggle more than they do. He would like to track this and institutionalize it as a
goal.
Commissioner Carey suggested adding community health to the social justice goal.
Commissioner Brown suggested adding mental health to the social justice goal.
Provision of transportation to low-income residents also fits into the social justice goal.
Commissioner Brown would like to understand in a more holistic way the services that we provide
to the Latino community, children, and for mental health.
Commissioner Gordon would like to see, when new schools are built, flexible space or swing
space. Far example, there are classrooms that can be used far any grade level. She also thinks there
should be an emphasis on renovation of older schools. Lastly, we need to talk about voluntary sharing of
facilities and how this might be accomplished.
Commissioner Halkiatis said that he would like to da something to resolve same boundary issues
with adjoining counties, and also a zoning issue on US 70 west that has gone on for probably 15-20
years. He would be willing for the County to buy the land and get that mess out of there.
Commissioner Gordon said that when we locate new schools, we should locate elementary and
middle schools and/or middle and high schools an the same site far greater flexibility and share playing
fields, etc. to include co-location of parks.
Commissioner Brown spoke about co-location of senior centers, justice facilities, and a
community
college campus, parks, human services, parking lots, daycare or other County departments or satellite
offices that would benefit these areas.
Chair Jacobs made reference to the Latino community and said that he does not feel we have a
handle on migrant workers - a segment of the community that is invisible to government. He does not
want to be in a position where we are somehow missing an inequitable situation. He suggested that the
Northern Center could do an outreach program for this segment of our population.
Commissioner Halkiotis said that he had lunch with a 43-year old black female that he taught at
Orange High about 20 years ago and she told about her parents who were homeless people who were
sharecroppers. He said that most of the blacks have been replaced with the Latinos. We need an
update on how many Latinos there are out there.
The Commissioners also need to get an update on haw many true temporary H2A people (type of
labor visa to work in this country where the employers need must be temporary) we have in this County.
There is no annual capon H2A workers.
Chair Jacobs made reference to land use planning and said he would like for us to move toward
requiring special use permits for all major subdivisions, excluding minor subdivisions. This would give
the County Commissioners much more control over the shape of development. He would like to work
toward having an inclusionary zoning component to the subdivision process and that can best be done
with a special use permit process.
Commissioner Halkiotis said that there are a lot of efforts looking at issues that involve the
Counties and municipalities. What will this County look like in 2050 and 2100? He would like to have a
roundtable discussion on this issue. He feels it would be great to have a value engineering position
funded by the County and cities to oversee all construction.
Commissioner Brown would like for us to firm up our interlocal agreements with Hillsborough and
Mebane and strengthen the Joint Planning Agreement with Chapel Hill and Carrboro.
Commissioner Brown made reference to the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance and the fact
that we need to make this happen this year.
Commissioner Brown would like a firm agreement on how annexation will happen - maybe a joint
planning agreement or annexation agreement with Hillsborough. Chair Jacobs said that Hillsborough is
trying to get a grip on water usage and maybe this is the time to sit down and talk with the town of
Hillsborough.
Commissioner Halkiotis made reference to a request of creative legislative authority. It would be
nice if other agencies that receive County funds or services could benefit with healthcare coverage for
their employees by utilizing the County group rates.
Chair Jacobs asked how we could get our Congressmen and Senators to address some of our
more urgent needs like the urgent repair needs application. The State turned down the County's
application. He hopes we can approach our representatives for completing the sewer system in Efland
and connecting the water system from Mebane to Orange-Alamance.
Commissioner Gordon made reference to fiscal impact analysislcost of community services.
She noted that the goal has been postponed for one year. She would like greater emphasis put on this
goal. Cost of community services is something in which the Commission for the Environment has an
interest. She would like to see this have a higher priority.
Chair Jacobs said that the fiscal impact analysis submitted with every subdivision is not new
information because we already know that subdivisions do not pay for themselves. He thinks that cost
for community services is a good idea. He is not sure who we are trying to convince by the fiscal impact
analysis. He does not think it needs to be refined. Commissioner Gordon said that the refinement had to
do with completing the analysis for nonresidential development.
Commissioner Halkiotis said that the fiscal impact analysis is a paper exercise and he feels
we should try and finish the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance because the fiscal impact information
will be included in that analysis.
Commissioner Brown would like to put together a list of indicators for the County. She would like
for it to be put together so that it can be understood by the general public -standards for where we are
and where we want to ga.
Chair Jacobs would like to have a new goal for library services. This will be discussed later when
the report is given.
Chair Jacobs said that he would like to resolve the solid waste issues, specifically the
sustainability of the 61 °1n reduction goal by 2006. Same of the philosophical objections that some of us
have to the possibility of reaching 61 °~ puts us in a situation where we feel we cannot do both. No one
wants to back off from being a leader in the reduction of waste in North Carolina, but we need to come to
terms with some of these issues.
Commissioner Halkiotis said that the issue of the reduction goal has been brought up far years
and is one of those unresolved things that just keeps going on forever.
Commissioner Gordon would like to continue our emphasis on resource conservation and
stewardship (section five of the environment scan}. This includes Lands Legacy, planning and
development of parks and preserves, farmland and historic preservation, natural resource programs
initiatives, and comprehensive plan elements. Regarding the Chapel Hill Township Park at the Eubanks
Road site, she said that we need to keep moving forward on that and that the Board of County
Commissioners should be more involved than we have in formulating the concept plan.
Commissioner Brown brought up mental health reform. There is a web of programs and policies
that we will need to understand to make it happen in a positive and creative way in Orange County. It
will take a lot of County agencies working together to make the transition to a local mental health
program that we will be proud of that will not drain our resources but serve our citizens well and not be a
nightmare. We will have to write a business plan for the State this year. We want to be able to provide
services and a safety net.
Commissioner Halkiatis would like an understanding of the total tax impact of restructuring mental
health.
Commissioner Brown would like to work with our legislators to get some tax relief for low-income
people. There has been a change this year, but she is not sure how many people know about it.
Commissioner Carey would like to know what entity requires taxes to be paid before rehab
money can be received -local, state or federal.
Commissioner Carey said that we need to keep our eye on the cast of Medicaid programs and try
to get the Governor and the senate to use some of the money saved from the Blue Cross conversion to
relieve the counties of these costs. We need to mobilize in some way to make sure that when this
money goes into the public trust it is used to help relieve counties. He suggested doing a resolution and
sending it out to all other counties.
Commissioner Gordon made reference to the public hearing process and said that someone was
supposed to develop a guide for citizens on public hearings. Also, when the Commissioners decide on
the public hearing notice it should also include the actual proposals and ordinances. She also suggested
continuing the emphasis on public outreach and communication.
Chair Jacobs made reference to teamwork and said that he feels we do a lot of that at the staff
level and the more that we da, the better we are. The more we get people to work as a group, the mare
effective we are.
Commissioner Gordon feels that teamwork is important. She feels we have an excellent staff.
She said that it was important that she have everything thoroughly laid out. It really helps that the
County Commissioners have adequate background information from the staff. She thinks the staff has
been responsive to this and she appreciates it.
Chair Jacobs asked that someone try to group these comments and test them against our goals
and see what is covered and what is not covered, and how they might be integrated into a present goal
ar new goal.
John Link said that he will group these and indicate whether it is related to an ongoing initiative or
anew goal or initiative.
Commissioner Carey asked that John Link confer with the Health Director and do a resolution
about the Blue Cross public funds.
2. FISCAL UPDATE
Budget Director Donna Dean made this presentation. The information presented is as of the end
of January.
The County's financial condition remains strong and the undesignated fund balance at the end of
the fiscal year was $13.53 million, which is about 12.23 percent of total 2000-01 general fund
expenditures.
The total amount budgeted from sales tax was $15.7 million. The first quarter receipts totaled
$3.7 million, which is the strongest first quarter collection since 1997-98. The second quarter receipts
are due February 15t"
During the first half of the year, the Register of Deeds office experienced a 71-percent increase in
activity over the same period last year. If this continues, the Register of Deeds will collect $300,000 to
$400,000 mare than budgeted.
The state does anticipate a funding deficit of $700 to $900 million in the current fiscal year. It is
uncertain whether the County will receive the remaining $470,000 in inventory and intangible tax
reimbursements. Recently approved State legislation eliminates these revenues effective July 1, 2003
and local entities may enact aone-half cent local option sales tax to replace lost revenues.
In answer to a question from Commissioner Halkiotis, John Link said that Medicaid casts would
increase approximately $300,000 this year.
Donna Dean said that other revenues we see leveling off potentially next year are the sales tax
receipts. Other challenges include debt service on the 1997 bonds. Fiscal year 2002-03 will see the full
impact of all bonds issued. The projected debt service for the bonds totals $1.7 million or 1.8 to 1.9
cents on the property tax. The impact of the 2001 bonds and alternative financing depends an the
direction given by the Board of County Commissioners regarding proposed timelines. If the County
Commissioners stay with the December 11t" proposal, the projected debt service ranges between
$493,000 and $609,100, which is one-half to two-thirds of an estimated one-cent on the tax rate.
Preliminary estimates far the opening of Cedar Ridge High Schaal range from $1.2 to $1.7
million. The total would be offset by about $485,000 in interest earnings on COPS.
John Link said that the interest earning comes from bonds that have been sold far which we have
received interest. When Cedar Ridge High School opens next September, this approximate $485,000
will be able to be used for capital, but not operating costs.
Donna Dean said that there would be an increase in expenditures for Medicaid from $300,000 to
$700,000.
Challenges beyond fiscal year 2002-2003 include equity of funding far both school districts,
opening of three new schools over the next five years, relationship of pre-K programs in schools with
adopted school construction standards, operational costs of Durham Technical Community College
satellite campus, state initiatives to restructure mental health, solid waste alternative financing, and
public safety initiatives including communications infrastructure and EMS transportation.
Commissioner Gordon said that if we are talking about equity in funding we have to talk about
equity in all aspects-operating and capital.
Commissioner Halkiotis made reference to the relationship of pre-K programs in schools with
Board of County Commissioners' adapted school construction standards and asked how this relationship
would also affect capacity numbers and if this is an unfunded mandate from the State.
Commissioner Halkiotis asked about the operating costs per year for Durham Tech and Rod
Visser said that the cost would be $422,000, which will increase with inflation.
Commissioner Brown indicated that it does not cost that much for the Skills Development Center
and it serves more people than the Durham Tech satellite campus in Durham County.
John Link said that his intent is to keep the operational costs as low as possible. Whatever the
County Commissioners agree to as the County's responsibility far operational costs will be the basis for
the future.
Commissioner Halkiotis asked what the operational costs were for the Skills Development Center
and he was told that this information will be forthcoming.
Commissioner Gordon asked that when the staff provides information for the public hearing for
the Durham Tech campus that all costs be included. The County must do a resolution of intent, which is
binding and before doing that a public hearing will be held.
The County Commissioners asked for information on the public safety initiatives, including
communications infrastructure and EMS transportation and documentation on what this is.
3. BOND AND ALTERNATIVE FINANCE CAPITAL SPENDING
Donna Dean said that this is a brief overview of the plan that was heard at the Board of County
Commissioners' meeting on December 11t". The plan includes $112.7 million over afive-year period,
which includes $75 million approved by the voters plus $37.7 million (one million higher than December
11t" proposal, because of accidental short funding of DTCC}. The proposal has a maximum tax impact
of 7.1 cents. The peak occurs in fiscal year 2008-09.
The proposal meets the mast pressing capital needs in the near future such as additional
classroom space and improving learning environments for children. In the first year, starting July 2002,
funds would be available for Chapel Hill Elementary #9, renovations at Hillsborough Elementary, and air
quality issues at Hillsborough Elementary and Chapel Hill High. Alternative financing will address
renovations of current school facilities and expansion of high school space far Chapel Hill-Carrboro or
planning for High School #3.
A new Chapel Hill Senior Center will open in the summer 2006. This allows time to plan and
select a site for NorthernlCentral Orange Center. This will be funded with bonds and alternative
financing.
Affordable housing will receive $4 million phased in aver the first three band sales.
Commissioner Brown would like an update from Housing and Community Development Director Tara
Fikes an what funds are available for affordable housing.
Commissioner Gordan wants to go back to having the Capital Investment Plan public hearing in
late March or early April, which will allow time far the County Commissioners to consider the plan for the
budget cycle.
Donna Dean said that there are funds in the alternative financing plan to fund the $4 million
match for the community college. There could be funds available as early as June 2004 to begin
construction.
The alternative financing plan also includes $3 million phased in over five years to purchase
farmland conservation easements. Some funding could be available as early as July 2002.
Other identified needs include an Orange Enterprises addition, the justice facility, Government
Services Center addition, Planning and Agricultural Center renovations, and a farmers market.
An optional timetable that the Board of County Commissioners may wish to consider in light of
recent fiscal news from the state is to postpone all bond sales and alternative financing issues for six
months. By doing this the County will save $600,000 next year. This would not affect the timetables of
the projects.
Commissioner Gordon made reference to the list of school projects far the band and asked for
the same level of specificity far the parks, recreation, and open space projects.
Commissioner Gordon brought up the necessity of high school #3 and asked for additional
information from
Chapel Hill-Carrbora City Schools on this project.
Donna Dean said that they have not received the information on the timetable from the schools
Commissioner Gordon suggested having each project on a sheet -the timetable, rationale for the
project, funding sources, and to what extent we have the project planned. Regarding the charts, they
should be done showing the financing from year to year.
John Link emphasized that we are trying to pursue a timetable over the next five years that
accomplishes $110 million dollars worth of projects for only aseven-cent tax increase. He said that he
has empathy for the schools and the towns in terms of their hard work in coming up with plans and
projects, but Orange County government is facing a huge challenge in terms of budget operations. He
said that he spoke with Superintendent Neil Pedersen about the proposals relative to high schools.
Superintendent Pedersen said that the proposals include pursuing two smaller high schools over the next
10 years as opposed to the large one. The staff has drafted some questions far the Board of County
Commissioners to consider for the regular meeting on Tuesday night.
Chair Jacobs asked what would be the next step in addressing the timetables and John Link said
that they could be addressed along with the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP}.
Commissioner Carey said that he feels the Board should make the decision to delay the issuance
of the bonds far six months
Commissioner Brown asked if there has actually been a proposal for new high school space and
John Link said that there was a discussion last spring with the Capital Needs Advisory Task Farce and
an amount of money has been in the charts for high school expansion or new high school space.
Chair Jacobs suggested asking staff to incorporate deferring the issuing of bonds for six months
into the proposal and show how this will look. The staff will bring it back in about a month. The other
elected boards can comment on it as well.
4. COMMISSION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
The Commission for the Environment report was received as information.
5. WATER SUMMIT
John Link reported that there have been meetings with Hillsborough and Orange-Alamance and
that there would be a meeting soon with Mebane. Water issues have grown in importance because of
drought conditions. Since Orange County is not in the water business, it can serve a positive purpose by
pulling in all the other water providers and other stakeholders in talking about the long term. The idea is
to pull together the other jurisdictions to talk about how to improve the area of water services.
Chair Jacobs said that a first step is to bring all the people together to address the needs of
Orange County and the companies, citizens, and schools that are in the areas.
Commissioner Gordan would like the Board to further discuss the water allocations and the
ramifications of holding such a summit and what may come from such a summit
Commissioner Halkiotis said that this summit might be an initial meeting just for everyone to
come together and talk to each other. The entities would come and present information on their
systems, etc. This would be an icebreaker. The County would serve as the host in bringing together all
of the entities in anon-threatening way.
Commissioner Brown thanked those involved in suggesting this summit. She said that one of the
main things is the recognition of the sustainability of the water systems. However, when she read the
proposal, the topics seem to be more specific than general. She asked for mare clarity on this project.
Commissioner Carey feels the summit is important. We need to talk about water and wastewater.
He feels it is time to get the stakeholders in the same room and talk about sustainability. It is important
that the County Commissioners go into the meeting with the object of getting to know each other and get
people talking. We want to continue to be a partner and a broker and try to encourage sustainability. If
we are committed to staying the course, maybe something positive might result ten years down the road.
Chair Jacobs made reference to the proposal and said that we just put down the specifics
because these are the present issues. The main thing is to get people to the table. He said that the
County would like to have more control. This is an opportunity to be a broker, but also to assert some
control in order to address the County's needs for the future. Orange-Alamance has along-range plan
that they will be presenting to the County Commissioners. We need to talk with all the providers and how
what they have planned fits in with the County's Land Use Plan.
Commissioner Gordon agreed that discussion of some general issues concerning water could be
helpful. She would like to see the charge of the meeting and the purpose of the meeting, etc.
Chair Jacobs said that this item was being presented to the County Commissioners for comments
before moving ahead with the plans for this summit. He just wanted to see if the Board embraced the
concept of the water summit.
Commissioner Brown asked that the first meeting be more educational to bring everyone up to
speed. One thing that was left out but that should be included was the groundwater studies for Orange
County which described aquifers and gave other information. Commissioner Gordan agreed that it was
important to include a discussion of groundwater issues.
Commissioner Halkiotis said that he was tired of getting information through the press. He made
reference to an article in the paper that stated that a developer went to the Hillsborough Town Board
asking fora 300,000-gallon water allocation for a project that is in Orange County's jurisdiction. The
communication needs to be tightened up so that there are na surprises. He suggested that the agenda
for the initial meeting be brought back in a generic way.
6. LIBRARY PLANNING
Chair Jacobs suggested that the County Commissioners take the library recommendations and
develop a goal. He would like to see the Board endorse having a "cybrary" at the Northern Center and at
the Century Center for the next fiscal year and get the cost estimates for those two additions. He
recommended that the Heritage Center for documents be included in the space needs study. There is
more than $100,000 in private funds pledged for this.
Commissioner Brown feels that the County Commissioners need to discuss this further. She
does not want to commit funding to any project because she does not know what may be involved.
Commissioner Carey suggested as the first goal to define the level of service that we want to
provide to our citizens. The goal should be to make some decisions about it that will determine where
we will spend the money if we want to make some changes.
Commissioner Gordon said that she is in favor of doing as much as possible for the libraries. She
said that it might be best to establish the standards in the goals.
Commissioner Halkiotis said that he is ready to make a commitment that we need to do more for
promoting libraries in this County. He was surprised that we now have eight students taking Durham
Tech classes at the Northern Center and they are using surplus computers. He feels that the library
needs to have a place in the Northern Center and also we need to know costs for the Century Center.
He is ready to da something but he is not ready to allocate any monies yet.
Commissioner Brawn said that every school has media centers. We have the university libraries.
She would like to see where the needs really are. She does not agree with the per capita piece that
Chapel Hill espouses. She would like to educate herself on the "cybrary" concept.
Chair Jacobs suggested asking the staff to put together a goal with same decisions that the
County Commissioners must make based on some timeframes with more information on usage
difficulties for specific age groups and geographic areas.
Commissioner Gordon would like to have an analysis from Jahn Link about what should be in the
central libraries and what should be dispersed.
LUNCH
7. 250T" ANNIVERSARY
Economic Development Director Diane Reid said that Orange County would be 250 years old on
September 9, 2002. An informal group has been meeting and talking about themes that might be
appropriate. The overarching theme is the quest for freedom. Sub-themes include preservation and
education. They are suggesting tying into existing events from September 2002 through September
2003. They would like to sponsor a logo design competition, which would be the logo for the County
stationery as well as for the 250th celebration. They would also like to reproduce a play that was written
for the 200th anniversary called "The Road to Orange." They would also like to update the history book
that was created for the 200th anniversary. The next meeting is scheduled for February 12th at 1:00 p.m.
She asked the Commissioners for their feedback on these events.
Commissioner Halkiatis said that he hopes that it is highlighted that there was not much freedom
and cultural diversity 250 years ago and there is a significant amount of cultural diversity and freedom
today. He would also like to incorporate all of the ethnic and racial communities and the historical
markers and recognize the achievements, and invite people such as Chief Blackfeather and others who
bring to the table that very richness to participate in the planning.
Commissioner Carey asked if we know how much it cost to produce "The Road to Orange" the
last time it was produced.
Commissioner Gordon said that we need to have a budget for this.
Chair Jacobs said that, among the groups to be invited to the meetings, he thinks we should add
the newspaper editors. He likes the idea of a logo competition. He would like to discuss with the
Visitor's Bureau about using some of their undesignated fund balance to fund the celebration.
8. ADVISORY BOARD PRESENTATIONS
a. Advisary Board on Aging
Florence Soltys, Chair of the Advisory Board on Aging, thanked the Board of County
Commissioners for their support and far coming to the opening of the senior center in Hillsborough last
week. She also thanked Jack Chestnut, Vice-Chair of the Advisory Board on Aging. Their number one
goal is to establish committees to look at building facilities as a result of the bond -both in southern and
nartherntcentral Orange County. She wants to know the structure of the Board's choice. She is looking
to the County Commissioners on how they want these committees structured. They are still looking for a
site far the central Orange center. The other issue is to develop along-term care roundtable discussion.
With this roundtable, they would like to develop standards that are acceptable to everyone for long-term
care providers. Another goal is to expand in-home respite services. The case management program is
the most popular program in the County. We are investigating the feasibility of developing a nonprofit
organization, which would provide funding to help with offering sufficient affordable training and
placement programs far CNAs. She made reference to dental access and said that there have been two
large meetings and they are working on providing a dental access program in nursing homes and rest
homes. They hope to raise some money and get grants.
Jack Chestnut said that he feels that there needs to be a housing needs assessment for what
type of housing seniors will need in the future. Once the assessment is done, we will formulate a
strategy on where and haw we want to build the housing. He visualizes having some senior housing
close to the new senior center.
Commissioner Gordon said that it seems that currently the senior housing is totally market
driven. She does not know of any guidelines the County has for an assisted living facility.
Jack Chestnut said that it would be helpful to have this needs assessment and if developers
knew of this assessment, we would have a roadmap on where housing far the elderly is needed.
Florence Soltys mentioned the day health center, which will open in March or April. This will
provide services to the residents of northern and central Orange County. She made reference to Dee
Gamble's report from DSS and said that there is a lot of elder abuse in the County. She would like to
see the elder board and this task force merge together to address this issue.
Commissioner Halkiotis commended Florence Soltys and Jack Chestnut for their commitment
to caring for the elderly. He encouraged this Board to encourage the Manager to set up a meeting with
the new Chair and the university and talk about what their involvement is going to be in the new senior
center. This meeting needs to be set up as soon as possible.
Chair Jacobs said that he and Commissioner Brown are going to represent this Board in the
Horace Williams planning. They are in the process of setting up a meeting and they will mention this
cooperative venture.
Commissioner Brown suggested that Jack Chestnut go to the municipalities about the senior
housing, because the County usually does not deal with apartment complexes.
Commissioner Carey made reference to the process that will eventually result in two senior
centers and he suggested asking the Manager to make a recommendation.
Chair Jacobs said that when the County Manager, the Hillsborough Town Manager, Mayor
and Mayor Pro tem of Hillsborough met, the Mayor of Hillsborough brought up an interest in affordable
housing. Tara Fikes and Robert Dowling will followup on this matter.
Chair Jacobs made reference to the goal on the Master Aging Plan and asked that it be
rewritten using the goals as adopted in the Master Aging Plan as a guide. It would be useful to address
the ongoing implementation.
b. Arts Commission
Jeff Cohen, Chair of the Arts Commission, thanked the County Commissioners and the
County Manager for supporting their request far afull-time director. The interview process will begin this
month. The interim director has worked out well. Also, the board is short a few members, and a
recommendation has been submitted for the County Commissioners' consideration at their next meeting.
He said that the strategic plan was over a year old. They had a successful artists' salon recently, which
enabled some local artists to network. They have also revised the grant process to make it easier for
organizations and artists to apply. He mentioned that there was a scholarship fund created for young
dancers in Orange County for which they provided administrative support and direction on how to set up
such a fund.
Chair Jacobs asked about the goal to identify meeting and resource space. Jeff Cohen said
that this is related to the Arts Commission moving into new space.
c. Board of Health
Dr. Jonathan Klein, Chair and member of the Board of Health, said that on behalf of the entire
Board he would like to thank the County Commissioners for their support. Specifically, the new positions
in the Health Department have enabled them to make good progress in fulfilling both state and local
mandates. Specifically the immunization registry rate has increased from 14°~ to 46°~ as of November.
The publication of the first local health report card in the state, in conjunction with Healthy Carolinians of
Orange County, is both the end of the initial process begun in 1995 and the beginning of a new process
of improving the grades in high priority areas. He requested a joint meeting with the Board in the spring
to bring the Board up to date on the strategic plan and the next steps. He said that even though County
and department resources might be less next year, these are times when there are heightened needs for
the types of services that the Health Department provides.
Issues that are not dependent on the economy include the fact that the County continues to
experience communicable disease events that require immediate responses. The syphilis rate has
increased from three to 24 cases in the past year. This highlights the need to continue the community-
wide approach to controlling sexually transmitted disease. Also, the need to improve and strengthen the
public health surveillance systems and response capabilities are in the forefront.
Another critical issue facing the department is the need to come into compliance with the new
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability requirements by October 2002. The continued ability to
receive federal funds is dependent upon the department being compliant in this area. Other issues
include the need for planning for the new County animal shelter, problems with grossly inadequate space
for environmental health and clinical functions, and the personal health and dental health clinic space in
the Whiffed building is inefficient and shabby.
He also spoke about the previous goal, which is the Wastewater Treatment Management
Program Expansion Goal. The County Commissioners supported and adopted this goal in 1999.
Unfortunately, na substantial progress has been made an implementing the program because of a lack of
staff resources. It was decided to propose a research study to formulate recommendations on further
implementation of the project. The study is scheduled to be completed in December 2002.
Commissioner Carey made reference to the education and information plan that we did not
implement because we did not have the resources available and asked what are we doing now. Health
Director Rosemary Summers said that they picked three Saturdays and posted flyers in three neighbors
and went on site for information sessions with homeowners. The staff will help locate the septic systems
and talk with the owners individually about maintaining their systems. This has been limited to three and
a half days. This is a small way of getting started on this. Also, inserts with tax bills have been provided
to our citizens.
Commissioner Halkiotis said that the education would never end because of the turnover in
housing in this community. We have come a long way and we have a long way to go. He would like to
get some periodic updates on the ultra shallow trench systems we have approved the last couple of
years and how they are holding up. We seem to be seeing more of these.
Chair Jacobs asked if the Health Department has thought about mailing information with area
water provider bills like Hillsborough, Orange-Alamance, and OWASA. The Health Department will
consider this suggestion for outreach. He also made reference to the number of people that still do not
have indoor plumbing in the County. He would like to include this in the Wastewater Treatment
Management Program goal to identify these people.
Commissioner Gordon asked about the educational efforts and if these were pilot programs.
Dr. Klein said that the Board of Health had decided which areas to target and decisions for outreach
were made on that basis. The goal of the pilot project is to figure out where to target first.
Chair Jacobs suggested requiring each new home built to have afive-year sewer inspection.
d. Human Services Advisory Commission
Rosetta Wash, Co-chair of the Human Services Advisory Commission, said that she wants to
report on the results and recommendations from two previous community-wide forums. In 1999, the
topic was focused on the Latino community. In 2000, the topic was mental health. The focus in 1999
was building trust and improving access to service for the Hispanic/Latino community in Orange County.
A common theme of the guest speakers and panelists was barriers to access. Some of the barriers are
as follows: 1}Orange County's HispaniclLatino citizens continue to have the lowest rates of health
insurance and home ownership while paying the highest rent for substandard housing. 2) Latinos need
schools, affordable housing, and work; but also time for their children and opportunities to play and rest.
Many cultural differences and language barriers were impacting the delivery of human services. 3)
There are dangers in the workplace because of lack of training.
The participants in the forum looked at strategies in the areas of housing, health services,
childcare, education, and the court system. A lot has happened to address these issues since 1999.
The focus of the 2000 forum was mental health and how it affects people of all ages. It was
painted out that North Carolina had not looked at its mental health system in 30 years, and despite an
increase in knowledge, service delivery was stuck in the past. There were over 140 participants at the
forum. They worked on finding ways to improve access to services for all age groups. Some of the
recommendations for young children included equity of access to services; insuring that there is an early
collaborative effort between schools, mental health, DSS, and the Health Department; increasing
schools' capacity to deal with mental health issues; and automatic mental health treatment services for
children. For adolescents, the focus was on providing after-school services, services for youth growing
up in violence, out-of-home placements, crisis services, adolescent substance abuse, and building strong
partnerships between schools and mental health services. For young adults, there is a need for
affordable housing (single room occupancy units), support services for mentally ill young adults that want
to live independently, educating the community about what it can do to help, and providing publicity
about available services. For persons in mid-life, there is a need for more safe, supportive affordable
housing, an increase in unrestricted funding, a full range of mental health services for victims of domestic
violence and sexual assaults, improved transportation alternatives, and more community crisis teams.
For the elderly, there is a need far more accessibility of mental health services, respite care for care
givers, universal health coverage, fragmentation of services in the County's senior centers, and the need
to use an interdisciplinary wellness model. There is also inequality of services in different regions of the
County. A recommendation was made to improve access to services for the mentally ill by creating a
mental health task force to further study the complex issues. The task force should include
representatives from schools, health departments, DSS, OPC area program, County department heads,
transportation services, the Department on Aging, Housing and Community Development, and the
Sheriff's Department. The task force will address areas such as equity of access to services, crisis
intervention, management, and the impact that all forms of violence have on mental health, the
continuum of care, appropriate housing and transportation, collaboration and oversight of existing
services, and inadequate and/or inflexible funding streams.
Chair Jacobs made reference to elder abuse and asked that HSAC discuss whether elder
abuse should be considered at the same time as child abuse.
Chair Jacobs said that his concern is haw to take the next step and implement the
recommendations once the HSAC symposia are done. He asked the Manager to consider the
recommendations and direct them to the appropriate parts of County government.
e. Board of Social Services
Dee Gamble, Chair of the Orange County Board of Social Services, thanked the Board of
County Commissioners for their support during the time they recruited and hired their new Director of
DSS due to the death of the farmer director Marti Pryor-Cook. They are very pleased with the present
Director of Social Services, Nancy Coston. She said that the proposed goal statement as distributed is
to implement a public awareness campaign to address the growing incidence of child abuse/neglect in
Orange County. She made reference to the D's and F's the entire State received in 1999 in child abuse
prevention from the North Carolina Child Advocacy Institute and the Institute of Medicine. She said that
the focus needs to be on child abuse prevention in an effort to turn around this level of abuse. They
want to engage the entire community in raising the level of awareness of the issues related to child
abuse. This will be accomplished through several activities. April is Child Abuse Prevention Month.
They would like to do a countywide campaign during this month to raise awareness. Another big event
could be in conjunction with the Human Services Advisory Commission's September meeting. Smart
Start will also have the annual family day in May, and she hopes that they would be willing to take this
issue on and raise awareness and find out what could be done differently. The Board of Social Services
is not asking for mare money, but they would appreciate the County Commissioners' leadership and
presence in any of the community-wide meetings.
Commissioner Brown said that she supports this new goal.
Commissioner Carey said that educating the public is so important. Increasing awareness
will result in more reports, which does not mean there is more child abuse and neglect but that more is
being reported.
Commissioner Gordon said that she supports this goal.
Jahn Link said that he applauds the DSS Board and staff for pursuing this goal. He thinks it
needs to be clear that everyone is involved in prevention. He is a little bothered by the grading process.
He would rather separate out what it means to try to be preventive from trying to correct existing
occasions of abuse.
Commissioner Halkiotis thanked Dee Gamble and the Board of Social Services for
addressing this issue. He was also upset about the grading because he knows the commitment the
County has made over the years to Social Services.
Commissioner Brown made reference to the rating system that the State uses and said that
the system did not mean that the services were bad and that the employees were ineffective. The
grading was to raise the consciousness of the community that child abuse is happening. However, she
thinks the rating system could be changed.
Chair Jacobs made reference to the Work First program and said that he understands that
Congress will be looking at the Welfare Reform bill and asked if the DSS Board would like to have an
analysis of what has been done to forward to the congressmen.
Dee Gamble said that the board is tracking what is happening with Work First and can
provide a summary. They want to be sure that the support service money is not eroded or taken away,
which would be a problem.
Chair Jacobs said that he would welcome some data that the County Commissioners could
share with their Congress people that would be specific about haw Work First could better serve Orange
County residents. He would like to be able to provide anecdotes about real people.
f. Visitors Bureau Board
The Chair of this board was out of town. This board would like to come to the Board of
County Commissioners sometime in the near future.
9. NEW GOALS, GOALS BY EXCEPTION
A new goal was identified for Child Abuse Prevention and for Air Quality.
Commissioner Carey said that he feels that the Child Abuse Prevention goal is appropriate.
He would like for the Board of Social Services to consider adding Elder Abuse to this goal. The Board
will wait on comments from DSS and the Advisory Board on Aging before formally adding this goal.
With reference to Air Quality, Commissioner Gordon said that this was not formally adopted last
year
Commissioner Halkiatis feels this is a good opportunity to highlight air quality issues because
some people feel that burning has no bearing an air quality. This should be out in front all the time.
Commissioner Carey asked if this goal was primarily targeted an analyzing the impact that
Orange County has on air quality and dealing with that. Although we all understand the importance of air
quality this does transcend county lines and something we cannot control. Maybe our taking leadership
on this issue will encourage same of our neighbors to take similar action. Air quality is really a huge
issue.
Chair Jacobs made reference to page 4 and emphasized the importance of working with the
State to try and address mobile source emission reductions from large and heavy-duty trucks. The only
thing missing is the cooperative forestry issue with clearing and burning. In the western part of the state
there are public notifications about no burning days because of air quality and this is something we can
continue to promote. We cannot regulate forestry but we can work toward same awareness about no
burning days, etc.
It was decided that the goal on air quality was fine. Wording will be brought back to incorporate
the above suggestions.
The County Commissioners will identify which goals they want to accept and which they do not.
If there are specific wording changes, those could be highlighted with a different color for each
Commissioner.
10. BOARD PROCEDURES AND ASSIGNMENTS, ADVISORY BOARD TERMS
Discussion on this item was delayed.
11. ADJOURNMENT
A motion was made by Commissioner Carey seconded by Cammissianer Halkiatis to adjourn the
meeting at 3:32 p.m.
VOTE: UNANIMOUS
The next meeting is scheduled for February 5, 2Q02 at 7:3Q p.m. at the F. Gordan Battle
Courtroom in Hillsborough, North Carolina.
Barry Jacabs, Chair
Beverly A. Blythe, CMC