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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 12-03-2007-3cORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: December 3, 2007 Action Agenda Item No. ~ - ~ SUBJECT: Proclamation of Human Relations Commission's Celebration of Bill of Rights Day, Human Rights Day, and Human Rights Week DEPARTMENT: Human Rights & Relations PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENT(S): HRC Recommendation and Proposed Proclamation INFORMATION CONTACT: Shoshannah Smith, 960-3877 PURPOSE: To consider a proclamation designating 1) December 10-16, 2007 as Human Rights Week; 2) December 10, 2007 as Human Rights Day; and 3) December 15, 2007 as Bill of Rights Day to highlight the importance of Human Rights in Orange County and beyond. BACKGROUND: Each year since 2005, the Board of County Commissioners has adopted a proclamation recognizing Bill of Rights Day, Human Rights Day, and Human Rights Week. The Orange County Human Relations Commission requests that the Board of County Commissioners continue this practice in 2007 by adopting the attached proclamation. FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with consideration of the proclamation. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve the Proclamation regarding Bill of Rights Day, Human Rights Day, and Human Rights Week. 2 ~nur~~Nra ~~~~Nr~ora~ coro~r~i~~ior~ RECOMMENDATION MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2007 PROCLAMATION FOR BOCC CONSIDERATION AND ADOPTION MOTION TAS MADE BY BARBARA CHAPMAN AND SECONDED BY MELVIN SMITH THAT THE HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THAT THE ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ADOPT THE ATTACHED PROCLAMATION REGARDING BILL OF RIGHTS DAY, HUMAN RIGHTS DAY, AND HUMAN RIGHTS WEEK. VOTE: AYES 13 (Austin, Chapman, Covington-Farrar, de Bruyn, Gnamien, Harris, Hendrickson, Ikenberry, Lester, Marotto, Nichols, Roberts, Smith); NOES 0; ABSENT 0; EXCUSED 5 (Adams, Colson, JeffriesrLogan, Nanney, Vogt); LOA 1 (Andrews). 2Ui~'.eir~acm a.~c l,~s~we~v WILLIAM HENDRICKSON, G'hair 11/13/2007 3 ~~oc~~~oN WHEREAS, on December 10, 1948, the member States of the United Nations signed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and countries of different political, economic and social systems agreed on the fundamental rights that all people share solely on the basis of their common humanity; and WHEREAS, Human Rights Day and Human Rights Week were adopted by the United Nations in connection with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; and WHEREAS, the Bill of Rights Day was first declared in 1941 by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt to commemorate the 1791 Ratification of the Bill of Rights; and WFIEREAS, the Bill of Rights guarantees, among other basic liberties, freedom of speech and of the press as well as freedom of religion and association; and WHEREAS, the Bill of Rights states that no person shall be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law and establishes fundamental rules of fairness in judicial proceedings, including the right to trial by jury; and WEIEREAS, the primary responsibility to promote respect for these rights and freedoms lies with each individual in Orange County, and each of us can play a major role in enhancing human rights; and Wi~REAS, the residents of Orange County support Human Rights and recognize that the "inherent dignity and the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family are the foundation of freedom, justice and peace;" NOW, THEREFORE, We, the Board of County Commissioners of Orange County, North Carolina, do hereby proclaim December '! 0 - 16, 2007 to be HUMAN RIGHTS WEEK and December 10, 2007 as HUMAN RIGHTS DAY and December 15, 2007 as BILL OF RIGHTS DAY in Orange County and challenge our residents to study and promote the ideas contained in these documents to the end that freedom, justice, and equality shall not perish but will flourish and be made available to all. THIS THE 3rd DAY OF DECEMBER, 2007. MOSES CAxEY, JR., Chair Orange County Board of Commissioners ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: December 3, 2007 Action Agenda Item No. SUBJECT: Proclamation for Bill of Rights Day in Orange County DEPARTMENT: BOCC PUBLIC HEARING: (YIN) No ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: - Proclamation Donna Baker, Clerk to the Orange County Board of Commissioners (919) 245-2130 Moses Carey, Jr., Chair, Orange County Commissioners (919) 929-8513 PURPOSE: To consider a proclamation to recognize December 15, 2007 as Bill of Rights Day in Orange County. BACKGROUND: The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, commonly know as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791. The Bill of Rights protects every person of this nation providing freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of the people to peacefully assemble. The amendments also grant the right to privacy within one's home, free of searches and seizures in the absence of probable cause. Local governments will participate in a Bill of Rights ceremony at Noon on December 15, 2007 in Chapel Hill. FINANCIAL IMPACT: None RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve the attached proclamation recognizing December 15, 2007 as Bill of Rights Day in Orange County and authorize the Chair to sign the proclamation. 2 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS PROCLAMATION ~iCC of ~tigTjtg dap DECEMBER 15, 2007 ~IJerea~, the necessary states ratified the Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution, on December 15, 1791; and ~Tjerea~, the Bill of Rights protects every person of this state and nation from the infringement of basic human and civil rights; and ~ljerea~, the freedoms of speech and association and the right to due process and equal protection of the law, as embodied in the Bill of Rights, are a model for democratic institutions and laws all over. the world; and ~ljerea~, the people of North Carolina stood strong in withholding ratification of the Constitution until the Bill of Rights was added to ensure their inalienable rights; and ~Tjerea~, the Orange County Board of Commissioners demonstrated its commitment to "upholding the civil rights and civil liberties of all persons in Orange County and their free exercise and enjoyment of any and all rights and privileges secured by our constitutions and laws of the United States, the State of North Carolina, and Orange County," in a May 20, 2003 approved resolution entitled "A Resolution Regarding the Protection of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties"; and ~Tjerea~, the Orange County Board of Commissioners reaffirmed the protections of all its residents by passing "A Resolution Opposing the Use of Local Law Enforcement to Enforce Civil Immigration Law and Policy" on January 23, 2007; ,~nbu, ~ljerefore ~e ~1t ~te~nlheD~ that we the Orange County Commissioners,-North Carolina, do hereby proclaim December 15, 2007, as "BILL OF RIGHTS DAY" in Orange County and commend this observance to ali people. This, the 3rd day of December 2007. Chair Orange County Board of Commissioners