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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBOH agenda 062817ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH MEETING AGENDA DATE: June 28, 2017 TIME: 7:00 P.M. PLACE: Whitted Building, 3rd Floor Meeting Rooms 300 West Tryon Street Hillsborough, NC 27278 TIME ITEM 7:00 p.m. I. Welcome New Employees 7:00 – 7:05 II. Public Comment for Items NOT on Printed Agenda Public Comment for Items ON Printed Agenda will be handled during that agenda item (Please sign up for both on sheet near the entrance to room.) Please limit your comments to 3 minutes. 7:05 – 7:10 III. Approval of June 28, 2017 Agenda 7:10 – 7:15 IV. Actions Items (Consent) A. Minutes of May 31, 2017 Liska Lackey 7:15 – 7:55 V. Educational Sessions A. FSA Update Coby Austin B. Translation Boot Camp Update Beverly Scurry C. BOH Policy and Procedures Upcoming Annual Review Beverly Scurry D. Budget Overview Rebecca Crawford 7:55 – 8:05 VI. Reports and Discussion with Possible Action A. BOH Subcommittee Review Beverly Scurry B. Health Director Report Dorothy Cilenti C. Media Items 8:05 – 8:35 VII. Closed Session to Discuss Health Director Recruitment Closed Session (ref. NCGS 143-318.11(a)6) to consider the qualifications, competence performance, fitness, conditions of appointment, of an individual public officer or employee, or prospective public officer or employee; or to hear or investigate a complaint, charge, or grievance by or against an individual public officer or employee. 8:35 – 8:35 VIII. Adjourn to Open Session 8:40 – 8:45 IX. Board Comments 8:45 X. Adjournment BOARD MEMBERS: To ensure a quorum, SEND E-MAIL to lstrange@orangecountync.gov advising her of your attendance at this meeting OR CALL 919-245-2411. Compliance with the “Americans with Disabilities Act” and Title VI - Interpreter services and/or special sound equipment are available on request. Call the Immigrant and Refugee Health Program Manager at 919.245.2387 to request an interpreter or other accommodation. Conforme a la “Ley sobre Estadounidenses con Discapacidades” (ADA) y el Título VI – los servicios de intérprete y/o equipo de sonido especial están disponibles a solicitud. Llame a la Administradora del Programa de Salud para Inmigrantes y Refugiados al 919-245-2387 para solicitar un intérprete u otros arreglos o adaptaciones. MINUTES-Draft ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH May 31, 2017 S:\Managers Working Files\BOH\Agenda & Abstracts\2017 Agenda & Abstracts/ May Page 1 ORANGE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT MISSION STATEMENT: To enhance the quality of life, promote the health, and preserve the environment for all people in the Orange County community. THE ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH MET ON May 31, 2017, at the Orange County Health Department, 300 West Tryon Street, Hillsborough, NC. BOARD OF HEALTH MEMBERS PRESENT: Liska Lackey – Chair, Susan Elmore, Vice- Chair, Johanna Birchmayer, Commissioner Mia Burroughs, Barbara Chavious, Paul Chelminski, Jennifer Deyo, Jessica Frega and Timothy Smith BOARD OF HEALTH MEMBERS ABSENT: Sam Lasris. STAFF PRESENT: Dr. Dorothy Cilenti, Interim Health Director; Coby Jansen Austin, Director of Programs and Policy; Alan Clapp, Environmental Health Director; Victoria Hudson, Environmental Health Specialist; Donna King, Health Promotions and Education Services Director; Pam McCall, Personal Health Services Director; Dr. Erica Pettigrew, Medical Director; Beverly Scurry, Board of Health Strategic Plan Manager; La Toya Strange, Administrative Assistant II and Iulia Vann, Public Health Services Manager. GUESTS PRESENT: None. I. Welcome New Employees Liska Lackey, Chair, called the meeting to order. There were no new employees in attendance. II. Public Comment for Items NOT on Printed Agenda: None III. Approval of the May 31, 2017 Agenda Motion was made by to Susan Elmore approve the agenda, seconded by Jennifer Frega and carried without dissent. IV. Action Items (Consent) A. Minutes of April 26, 2017 Meeting Motion was made by Susan Elmore to approve the minutes of April 2017, seconded by Timothy Smith and carried without dissent. V. Educational Sessions A. Innovation Grant Update Each year, staff submit innovative proposals to provide better care, better health and reduced healthcare costs for Orange County residents. Victoria Hudson, Innovation Grants Manager, MINUTES-Draft ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH May 31, 2017 S:\Managers Working Files\BOH\Agenda & Abstracts\2017 Agenda & Abstracts/ May Page 2 discussed the 2016 Innovation Grant projects and adjustments to the 2017-2018 process. In 2016, there were 10 projects that were funded. Ms. Hudson highlighted some of last year’s awarded projects’ successes. Updates were provided to the BOH members regarding the granted amount of the funding and actual amount used. Adjustments to this year’s process were: • Encourage team approach • Know technological limitations • Be realistic about time for implementation • Develop stronger evaluations • Fiscal accounting methods The call has been initiated for applications for the 2017-2018 grant period which begins in July. B. Child Fatality Task Force Report Pam McCall, Personal Health Services Division Director, gave the highlights of the 2016 Child Fatality Prevention Team (CFPT) Annual Report. She began by stating that the state had provided a new template that will, hopefully, make it easier to read the report and digest information. In 2016, the CFPT reviewed 17 child deaths and identified 5 system problems. There weren’t any repeat causes of death. Year after year, smoking during pregnancy leads to premature birth and deaths. In the upcoming year, alcohol use and smoking during pregnancy will be a focus for the CFTF. The 5 system problems with cause of death (cod) identified were: • undiagnosed genetic disorder (neurodegenerative disorder); • smoking during pregnancy (necrotizing enterocolitis of newborn, extreme prematurity); • possible improper use of infant carrying device (undetermined); • underage alcohol use (pedestrian vs motor vehicle accident); and • passenger not using seat belt (motor vehicle accident). The recommendations by the CFPT were: • New and potential parents be counseled and screened for genetic disorders. • Pregnant women should be given resources to assist with tobacco cessation. • Inform parents about the risk of using baby sling carriers. • Teens who use alcohol receive counseling and support to stop. • Educate the public about the dangers of not wearing a seat belt in the back seat of a vehicle. At the request of the BOH, for the next report, Ms. McCall will attempt to provide additional information such as the child’s age at the time of death and any specific disease(s) that the child may have had. She did state that most of the deaths for the 2016 report were children under 5 years old. The BOH members had questions that were addressed by Ms. McCall. MINUTES-Draft ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH May 31, 2017 S:\Managers Working Files\BOH\Agenda & Abstracts\2017 Agenda & Abstracts/ May Page 3 C. Communicable Disease Annual Report Iulia Vann, Public Health Services Manager, gave an overview of the communicable disease data for the year 2016. Some of the highlights from the information she gave during her presentation include: • There were increases in tick-borne disease. Ticks breed more when the temperature is high. Other causes for the increase include global warming and the increase of the white tail deer population. • Hepatitis B Chronic cases have increased. Most cases were contracted by intravenous drug users. Although there is a vaccination for Hepatitis B for children, the adult vaccination rate is very low. There’s a 30% vaccination rate among adults. • Pertussis cases have increased. That’s partly due to a number of parents choosing not to vaccinate their children. A lot of the cases are seen in private school because public schools require children to have this vaccination in order to attend. • Salmonella cases have increased. Although there was the Chapel Hill Creamery outbreak, most cases were reported by global travelers. • Rabies cases have decreased. Contrary to popular belief, wild animals such as raccoons and foxes are the most common carriers more than dogs and other animals. • There were a total of 825 cases of STDs which was comprised of 163 cases of gonorrhea, 636 cases of chlamydia, 11 cases of syphilis, 11 cases of HIV and 4 cases of AIDS. • There was an increase in STDs at the state level but Orange County is seeing a decrease. The OCHD educational programs have helped. The BOH members had questions that were addressed by Ms. Vann. VI. Action Items (Non-Consent) A. Board Vacancy Recommendation BOH member, Reena Mehta, vacated her seat as she moved out of the county. Liska Lackey, Chair, mentioned that a search was launched to find candidates to fill the optometrist position that included contacting the UNC Eye Center, NC Optometric Society and private clinics. They recommended Dr. Bruce Baldwin for the Optometrist position. Ms. Lackey stated that Dr. Baldwin had 35 years of experience as an optometrist, is employed at UNC Ophthalmology and has served in the military. Motion to recommend Dr. Bruce Baldwin to the BOCC was made by Jessica Frega, seconded by Barbara Chavious, and carried without dissent. VII. Reports and Discussion with Possible Action A. Health Director Report In addition to her report, Dr. Cilenti offered an invitation to attend a community-wide conversation that will encourage families to speak with their children about alcohol and other MINUTES-Draft ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH May 31, 2017 S:\Managers Working Files\BOH\Agenda & Abstracts\2017 Agenda & Abstracts/ May Page 4 drugs. It’s being partnered with the Campus & Community Coalition and will be held at the Chapel Hill Library on July 27th from 12-1pm. She also stated that an offer of employment was extended and the new Communications Manager will start on July 24th. Alan Clapp spoke about the three grant funding requests submitted to IT. They were 1) an online request tool to allow citizens to research well and septic records at home, 2) ground penetration radar to find for septic systems, water lines, and burial sites for interment and disinterment, and 3) GPS unit to work with our central permitting software. The first two scored high enough and will be funded dependent on IT’s budget. Coby Jansen Austin gave an update on the BUILD Health Challenge, a national funding opportunity that encourages community partnerships to work on extreme social determinants of health, was given. The OCHD, partnered with El Futuro and UNC, submitted a proposal. We were invited to the 2nd round; however, decided not to move forward as it didn’t feel like the right fit. There were a few factors including mental health and the mental system of care being seen not as an access issue but as a social determinant of health. Another factor involved population focus. El Futuro has a stong focus on the immigrant population; however, the immigrant population only represents a small portion of patients seen in the UNC emergency department. UNC would have liked the focus to be more comprehensive and not just on that small vulnerable population. Many conversations were held with BlueCross BlueShield (BCBS). They stated that they were very interested in helping us explore funding opportunities if we didn’t feel that this was the right fit. They also sponsored Rebecca Crawford and an employee from El Futuro to attend the Practical Playbook in D.C. which is focused on creating dialogue and strategies on best practices for cross-sector collaborations to help improve population health. We have a meeting scheduled for June 30th with BCBS leadership, the County Manager and FSA leadership to continue this conversation. B. Media Items Media items were in the packet which focused on Orange County’s events and our involvement in various efforts. Liska Lackey, Chair, invited everyone to the FSA End of the Year Celebration to be held on June 4th from 3-5pm at New Hope Camp. At 8:00pm, Barbara Chavious motioned to move into closed session and Jennifer Deyo seconded. VIII. Closed Session to Discuss Health Director Recruitment During the closed session, the Board of Health discussed and voted to reopen the search for the health director position. Paul Chelminski motioned to reopen the search for the health director position and Timothy Smith seconded. IX. Adjourn to Open Session MINUTES-Draft ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH May 31, 2017 S:\Managers Working Files\BOH\Agenda & Abstracts\2017 Agenda & Abstracts/ May Page 5 Barbara Chavious motioned to move into end the closed session and Jennifer Deyo seconded. X. Board Comments. None. XI. Adjournment Barbara Chavious moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:45pm and Susan Elmore seconded. The next Board of Health Meeting will be held June 28, 2017 at the Orange County Health Department, 300 West Tryon Street, Hillsborough, NC at 7:00 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Dorothy Cilenti, MSW, MPH, DrPH Orange County Interim Health Director Secretary to the Board Agenda Item Number: ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY Meeting Date: June 28, 2017 Agenda Item Subject: Family Success Alliance Update Attachment(s): FSA Presentation Staff or Board Member Reporting: Purpose: ____ Action _ X_ Information only ____ Information with possible action Summary Information: Orange County Board of Health has made a commitment to fighting childhood poverty through supporting the Family Success Alliance (FSA), which launched in 2014. FSA is a “collective impact” initiative modeled on Harlem Children’s Zone and other place- based cradle-to-college/career programs throughout the country. This model entails making a long-term commitment to the community that grows over time as more children are embraced by the pipeline of services and supports provided. This presentation will highlight a few recent successes and share some of our ongoing work. We will also introduce recently hired zone navigators to the Board. Recommended Action: ___Approve ___Approve & forward to Board of Commissioners for action ___Approve & forward to ___________________________ _X Accept as information ___Revise & schedule for future action ___Other (detail): Agenda Item Number: ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY Meeting Date: June 28, 2017 Agenda Item Subject: Translation Boot Camp Update Attachment(s): Staff or Board Member Reporting: Beverly Scurry Purpose: ____ Action _ X Information only ____ Information with possible action Summary Information: Board of Health Strategic Plan: Social Determinants of Health Priority An update will be given on the specific action step that states: By February 2017, the Health Department will host at least two “translation boot camps” with the Healthy Carolinians Access to Care committee, on specific health topics to translate clinical language and recommendations about that health topic into culturally and linguistically relevant and motivational messages. Recommended Action: ___Approve ___Approve & forward to Board of Commissioners for action ___Approve & forward to ___________________________ _X_Accept as information ___Revise & schedule for future action ___Other (detail): Agenda Item Number: ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY Meeting Date: June 28, 2017 Agenda Item Subject: BOH Policy and Procedures Upcoming Annual Review Attachment(s): 2017 Review Summary Staff or Board Member Reporting: Beverly Scurry Purpose: ____ Action _ X Information only ____ Information with possible action Summary Information: Policies and Procedures The Board of Health is required to review their Policies & Procedures each year to meet accreditation standards. A preview of BOH Policy and Procedure edits collected thus far are included in the 2017 Review Summary. Additional edits will be collected from staff and presented and discussed during the next BOH meeting. The Board will be provided full edits in July 2017 and will vote to approve the revisions during the August 2017 meeting. Recommended Action: ___Approve ___Approve & forward to Board of Commissioners for action ___Approve & forward to ___________________________ _X_Accept as information ___Revise & schedule for future action ___Other (detail): Section 1: Board Adopted Policies E: Fee and Eligibility Policy Suggested Changes: • Page 1: Section III A – Definitions o Addition of Family Home Visiting Division • Page 2: Section III B – Sources o Change in verification from 10 days to 30 days • Page 3: Section IV A – Residency Requirements o Formatting • Page 6: Section VI K, O, & P – Fees for Services o Formatting • Attachment B: Determination of Eligibility for Clinical Services o Change in timeframe to provide income verification within 10 days to 30 days. o Formatting o (Changes already made) Section III: Board Processes Formatting throughout Policy III.B.c: Process for Recruitment and Reappointment for BOH Members Suggested Changes: • Board makes recommendation to Board of Commissioners who will decide who to appoint. Agenda Item Number: ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY Meeting Date: June 28, 2017 Agenda Item Subject: FY 17-18 Approved Budget Update Attachment(s): FY 17-18 BOH Approved Budget Overview Staff or Board Member Reporting: Rebecca Crawford Purpose: ___ Action _X_ Information only ___ Information with possible action Summary Information: The Board of County Commissioners approved the FY 2017-2018 budget on June 20, 2017. Staff has analyzed the differences between the Requested budget, the County Manager’s Recommended budget, and the Approved budget and found the Approved FY 2017-2018 budget for the Health Department shows a $22,425 increase in revenue over the FY 2017-2018 Budget Request due to anticipated additional Environmental Health fee revenue. The County Manager did not include a requested $60,000 in County Capital funds in the Approved budget, which decreased the overall impact of the anticipated Environmental Health fee revenue increase. The Approved FY 17-18 budget experienced a $132,178 decrease in expenditures from the request budget due to the following items that were not recommended by the County Manager: • Data Systems Manager • Senior Public Health Educator • PH Program Manager – Behavioral Health (County Manager converted this request to funding for a Behavioral Health consultant) • Conversion of Communications Specialist from a temporary employee to permanent employee (temporary funds remain in our budget to support this position) • Operating costs related to new positions • $15,000 increase in lab services for the medical clinics • $13,365 for an FSA Development Consultant The Health Department received notice from NC Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) earlier in June that we will receive an additional $1,020 in BCCCP funds, which were added to the Approved budget. The changes made from the department’s Requested budget will not have a detrimental effect on operations, however, we will have to reallocate funds internally to cover the increased cost in lab services and reallocate staff time from other projects to perform the duties required of the disapproved Data Systems Manager and the disapproved FSA Development Consultant. Recommended Action: ___Approve ___Approve & forward to Board of Commissioners for action ___Approve & forward to ____________________ _X_Accept as information ___Revise & schedule for future action ___Other (detail): FY 16-17 Revised Budget FY 17-18 Budget Request FY 17-18 Approved Budget $ Change from FY 17-18 Budget Request to Approved % Change from FY 17- 18 Budget Request to Approved $ (3,166,722)(3,119,315)$ (3,141,740)$ 22,425$ 1% $ 9,634,838 10,044,436$ 9,912,258$ (132,178)$ 1% $ 6,468,116 $ 6,925,121 $ 6,770,518 (154,603)$ 2% FY 16-17 Revised Budget FY 17-18 Budget Request FY 17-18 Approved Budget $ Change from FY 17-18 Base Budget % Change from FY 17- 18 Base Budget 46,620$ 32,168$ (32,168)$ 0% Total 46,620$ 32,168$ -$ (32,168)$ 0% 9,681,458$ 10,076,604$ 9,912,258$ (164,346)$ County-Wide Intiatives Personnel:Amount: Living Wage Adjustments effective 1/1/18 - TBD 2% Wage Increase-Salary 103,443$ Additional 8 Hours Annual Leave N/A Compression Adjustments 15,991$ 6 Weeks Parental Leave N/A Total 119,434$ Changes from the Requested Budget Personnel:Notes Data Systems Manager - 1.0 FTE Disapproved Senior Public Health Educator - 1.0 FTE Disapproved PH Program Manager (Behavioral Health) - 1.0 FTE Changed to Consultant Property Development Tech - 1.0 FTE Approved Environmental Health Temporaries - Time Limited Approved Communications Specialist - 0.5 FTE Temporary Funding only Operating:Notes Operating costs for new positions Disapproved (Navigator equipment approved) Contract Services X-Rays Additional BCCCP Funds Received Lab increase and FSA Development Consultant Disapproved, Funding for Behavioral Health Added Approved Budget Highlights Total Expenditure Budget Susan G. Komen Grant Reducing Health Disparities Grant -$ -$ ORANGE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT FY 17-18 Annual Operating Budget Summary -$ 0%-$ Grant Projects NET COUNTY APPROPRIATION TOTAL EXPENSES TOTAL REVENUES Agenda Item Number: ORANGE BOARD OF HEALTH AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY Meeting Date: June 28, 2017 Agenda Item Subject: BOH Subcommittee Review Attachment(s): Staff or Board Member Reporting: Beverly Scurry Purpose: ____ Action _ _ Information only __X_ Information with possible action Summary Information: Review the BOH Strategic Plan Action Steps. Discuss the subcommittees as they relate to the action steps and have BOH members sign up for subcommittees. Recommended Action: ___Approve ___Approve & forward to Board of Commissioners for action ___Approve & forward to ___________________________ _X_Accept as information ___Revise & schedule for future action ___Other (detail): Health Director’s Report June 28, 2017 • On Wednesday, May 17, twenty‐one lead and healthy homes professionals met at the UNC Institute for the Environment for the quarterly NC Healthy Homes Outreach Task Force meeting. Attendees provided brief program updates and participated in a discussion about current lead guidelines. April Richard, the Senior Public Health Educator from the Orange County Health Department presented on Smoke‐free Multi‐ unit Housing and the new HUD Rule. • Victoria Hudson has been promoted to Environmental Health Supervisor. She will begin her new role 6/26/17. Jeff Jones is retiring effective 6/30/17. Jeff is an Environmental Health Program Specialist with his primary function being restaurant plan review and inspections. Environmental Health will be filling the 2 vacancies in the food and lodging program as soon as possible. • Empowerment, Inc., a Family Success Alliance partner, has been selected as a finalist for the GSK Impact Award! A site visit will occur in the next few weeks! ($40,000 award, if selected). • Staff and Board of Health members are continuing to advance efforts to promote racial equity within the department. Two BOH members and 30 staff have completed Organizing Against Racism’s 2‐day racial equity workshop, and a consultant has facilitated “Leading for Equity” trainings and discussions with most of those staff. The clinic is exploring grant opportunities to support training and coaching for their staff as well. Orange  County  reports  6th  positive  rabies  test  of  2017   Orange  County  Animal  Services     ORANGE  COUNTY     Orange  County  Animal  Services  has  received  its  sixth  positive  rabies  test  result  of   the  year,  according  to  the  North  Carolina  State  Laboratory  of  Public  Health.  This   incident  involved  a  raccoon.  The  county  recorded  a  total  of  six  positive  cases  last   year  and  10  the  year  before.       The  case  originated  on  Monday,  May  29,  when  a  Chapel  Hill  resident  was  walking   along  a  trail  with  his  off-­‐leash  dog.  The  dog  owner  heard  a  scuffle  and  spotted  his   dog  wrestling  with  a  raccoon  nearby.  The  raccoon  was  killed  in  the  incident  and  the   dog  was  injured  slightly.  The  resident  called  Animal  Control  to  have  the  raccoon   removed  and  tested  for  rabies.       Because  the  dog  had  a  current  vaccination,  he  was  able  to  receive  a  booster  rabies   vaccination  within  the  required  window.  When  there  is  “a  reasonable  suspicion  of   exposure,”  a  dog,  cat,  or  ferret  with  a  valid  vaccination  history  must  receive  a   booster  shot  within  96  hours  (4  days).  By  contrast,  an  unvaccinated  animal  must   either  be  destroyed  or  quarantined  for  a  period  up  to  four  (4)  months.       A  Communicable  Disease  Nurse  from  the  Orange  County  Health  Department  will   be  contacting  the  resident  to  evaluate  his  risk  of  rabies  exposure  and  whether  there   is  a  need  for  the  post-­‐exposure  prophylaxis  that  protects  people  from  rabies.  As  is   always  the  case,  a  decision  about  the  post-­‐exposure  prophylaxis  that  protects   people  from  rabies  is  based  upon  an  assessment  of  all  the  factors  involved  in  this   type  situation.     Raccoons  are  a  host  (or  reservoir)  species  to  rabies  in  our  area  and  the  region.  Any   other  animal  that  becomes  rabid  in  this  area  is  likely  the  victim  of  the  “spillover   effect.”  When  an  animal  other  than  the  dominant  reservoir  species,  which  is  the   raccoon  in  North  Carolina,  contracts  the  virus,  it  is  called  “spillover.”  The  other   species  that  are  most  susceptible  to  getting  rabies  from  raccoons  are  dogs  and  cats,   groundhogs,  skunks,  and  foxes.     The  other  host  species  of  rabies  in  our  own  region  and  others  is  bats.  Of  the  few   cases  of  rabies  in  humans  in  our  country  in  recent  years,  most  have  been  traced  to   bats.  If  there  is  any  possibility  of  exposure  from  a  bat,  it  is  critical  that  citizens   immediately  contact  their  animal  control  program.  If  an  incident  involving  a  bat  —   or  other  rabies  vector,  such  as  a  raccoon  or  skunk  –  should  occur  outside  regular   hours  of  service,  an  Animal  Control  Officer  should  be  reached  right  away  by  calling   911.     Vaccination  clinic  set   The  next  low-­‐cost  rabies  vaccination  clinic  will  take  place:   ▪    Saturday,  June  10  from  9  a.m.  to  noon  at  Orange  County  Animal  Services,  1601   Eubanks  Road  in  Chapel  Hill.  Animal  Services  will  offer  one  and  three-­‐year  rabies   vaccines  for  $10  and  microchips  for  $25.  Three-­‐year  vaccinations  require  proof  of   previous  vaccine  in  the  form  of  a  printed  certificate.  Clinic  dates  for  all  of  2017  and   clinic  requirements  are  posted  online   at  orangecountync.gov/departments/animalservices/rabies.php     For  more  information,  call  Orange  County  Animal  Services  at  919-­‐942-­‐7387.   Mark  Donovan:  919-­‐419-­‐6655,  @TheHerald_Sun     Read  more  here:  http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/orange-­‐ county/article153664584.html#storylink=cpy                                                                       More  than  a  history   Molly  Smith,  Southern  Neighbor     May  30,  2017   Just  two  miles  down  the  road  from  a  community  center  that  gladly  serves  as  the   stomping  grounds  for  minority  children  of  all  ages  lies  the  dying  remains  of  an  80-­‐ acre  landfill  that  came  at  a  price  for  the  Rogers  Road  community.     Some  of  these  children  are  part  of  the  newest  generation  of  families  that  Minister   Robert  Campbell  calls  the  “groundbreakers”  —  those  who  have  been  around  since   the  start  of  the  effects  caused  by  the  landfill  and  pushed  for  change.  Campbell,  the   current  president  of  the  Rogers  Road  Neighborhood  Association  —  RENA  —  started   getting  involved  in  community  politics  when  the  now-­‐closed  landfill  started  to  cause   tangible  issues.     “The  water  began  to  smell  bad,  and  it  would  get  into  your  clothes,”  Campbell  said.   “So  we  had  to  start  going  into  town  and  washing  our  clothes  at  the  laundromat.”   The  Rogers  Road  community,  located  in  the  middle  of  Chapel  Hill  and  Carrboro   town  lines,  housed  the  Orange  County  landfill  for  over  40  years  before  its  closure  in   2013.  However,  Campbell  said  no  protections  were  put  in  place  for  the  drinking   water,  as  the  community  was  not  connected  to  the  municipal  water  system  and  used   wells.     According  to  the  Rogers  Road  community  website,  Howard  Lee,  the  mayor  of  Chapel   Hill  at  the  time,  promised  paved  roads,  a  recreation  center,  public  transit  and  access   to  public  water  on  Rogers  Road  after  the  temporary  landfill  filled  up.  David  Caldwell,   project  director  for  RENA  and  a  vital  force  in  the  neighborhood,  said  he  still   remembers  Mayor  Lee  making  these  vows  directly  to  his  father.  But  Campbell  said   these  proved  to  be  empty  promises  that  weren’t  in  the  mayor’s  hands,  and  the   community  continued  to  suffer.     “In  the  past  month  alone,  we’ve  had  five  of  our  residents  to  pass  away.  Out  of  those   five,  four  of  them  had  cancer,”  Campbell  said.  “We  don’t  know  whether  it  was  their   lifestyle,  the  air  they  were  breathing  or  the  water  they  were  drinking.”   He’s  not  alone  in  believing  that  the  contamination  in  the  water  may  have  caused   deaths  in  the  neighborhood.  He  said  some  residents  have  seen  everything  from  coal   ash  to  biological  waste  thrown  into  the  landfill,  contaminating  the  air  and  water  in   surrounding  areas.     According  to  the  Daily  Tar  Heel,  the  UNC  Gillings  School  of  Public  Health  conducted   a  study  in  2009  that  revealed  E.Coli  bacteria  and  fecal  contamination  in  the  drinking   water.  The  Orange  County  Health  Department  followed  up  in  2011  with  tests  that   proved  only  two  of  the  11  wells  in  the  neighborhood  contained  water  that  met  the   Environmental  Protection  Agency  standards.       But  government  officials  in  Chapel  Hill  still  could  not  find  another  place  for  the   landfill,  and  tried  to  give  seven  of  the  “groundbreaker”  residents  access  to  public   water  and  sewer  lines  as  a  temporary  fix  to  the  situation.  Even  as  the  town  tried  to   rectify  the  situation,  some  residents  didn’t  think  forgiveness  was  in  order.   “It’s  taking  advantage  of  those  who  don’t  have  as  much,”  said  gardener  and  long-­‐ time  community  member  Marian  Peppers.  “Do  wrong;  be  afraid.  That’s  the  Bible.”   A  complex  history  exists  behind  the  treatment  of  people  of  color  in  regards  to   hazardous  waste  facilities.  According  to  a  2007  Toxic  Wastes  report,  people  of  color   make  up  over  56  percent  of  the  residents  living  within  two  miles  of  these  areas.   “It  goes  back  to  their  plan  —  it’s  a  steady  course,”  Peppers  said.  “We  knew  about  it   before  the  battle  started.”     The  Rogers  Road  Neighborhood  Task  Force  was  created  in  2012  in  order  to  make   recommendations  to  the  Chapel  Hill  Town  Council  for  improvements  around  the   neighborhood.  According  to  its  website,  members  pushed  for  a  sewer  service  and  a   safer  community  center.     That  same  year,  the  existing  community  center  was  shut  down  by  the  Town  of   Chapel  Hill  because  of  the  center’s  failure  to  comply  with  fire  and  safety  codes,  and   its  lack  of  a  permit  to  use  a  house  as  a  community  center.     In  the  meantime,  community  members  cited  that  the  Rogers  Road  area  was  still   suffering  from  the  effects  of  the  landfill,  including  the  use  of  illegal  dumpsites  and   contaminated  backyard  wells.     In  2012,  the  Orange  County  Board  of  Commissioners  voted  to  close  the  landfill.  It   was  officially  shut  down  in  June  of  2013.  The  15,000  tons  of  waste  generated  by  the   county  is  now  directed  to  the  Waste  Disposal  and  Recycling  Center  in  Durham,   which  costs  about  $3.5  million  more  annually,  the  Daily  Tar  Heel  reported.   While  the  landfill  is  still  a  sore  spot  for  many  residents,  Campbell  believes  that   educating  people  about  it  will  help  heal  the  community.     “We  like  to  talk  about  the  history  of  the  Rogers  Road,  from  slavery  to  nowadays,  and   the  transition,”  he  said.  “It’s  how  you  get  over  those  barriers  —  those  ‘isms  from   yesterday.”     After  the  landfill  was  shut  down,  RENA  was  awarded  $650,000  for  the  construction   of  a  new  community  center.  It  opened  November  of  2014  on  the  100  block  of  Edgar   St,  and  many  community  leaders  saw  it  as  a  fresh  start  in  the  Rogers  Road   neighborhood.     “It’s  ours,”  Peppers  said.  “It’s  a  place  where  we  can  hang  out  and  connect  with  each   other.”     Campbell,  Caldwell  and  others  now  use  the  community  center  as  a  place  to   implement  programs  to  help  the  homeless  or  hungry,  to  clean  up  the  neighborhood   and  to  care  for  children  in  the  area.     Campbell  said  they  have  since  implemented  summer  enrichment  camps,  toy  drives,   cooking  classes,  movie  nights,  a  food  bank  that  serves  up  to  65  families  each  week   and  more.  There’s  also  a  community  garden  run  by  Peppers  that  provides   opportunities  for  field  trips  for  children  and  brings  plants  and  crops  to  the  area.   “Our  goal  is  to  unify  our  society,  and  through  social  engagement,  we  have  been  able   to  do  that,”  Campbell  said.  “We  provide  those  services,  but  we  also  provide  spaces   for  people  to  have  community  meetings  and  it’s  always  a  safe  haven  for  the  kids  to   hang  out.”     Almost  all  of  the  people  involved  with  the  center  are  volunteers,  which  allows  RENA   leaders  to  offer  services  at  a  low  price  —  only  $25  each  month  for  children  to  have   in-­‐depth  tutoring  after  school  every  day.  The  center  also  often  provides  free   breakfast  for  children  on  their  way  to  school  or  before  the  summer  camp  starts.   “It’s  hard  to  teach  a  child  something  if  they’re  struggling  with  hunger,”  Campbell   said.  “If  a  culture  is  good  health-­‐wise,  they’re  gonna  be  good  mentally,  and  they’re   gonna  be  strong.”     In  late  2016,  the  Orange  County  government  authorized  funding  for  municipal   sewer  line  construction  to  reach  the  Rogers  Road  community.  The  construction  of   almost  four  miles  of  sewer  lines  is  anticipated  to  begin  this  summer,  the  Town  of   Chapel  Hill  website  reports.     Judy  Johnson,  the  principal  planner  in  the  Planning  and  Sustainability  Department   within  the  Town  of  Chapel  Hill,  said  bids  have  been  received  by  the  Orange  Water   and  Sewer  Authority,  and  a  tentative  groundbreaking  ceremony  is  set  for  June  20.   She  said  the  town  worked  with  both  RENA  and  the  Jackson  Center,  an  organization   made  to  preserve  the  historically  black  communities  in  the  area,  to  come  up  with  a   plan  for  the  sewage  system.     “They  both  held  instrumental  roles  in  assisting  the  three  jurisdictions  in  acquiring   the  necessary  sewer  easements,”  Johnson  said.     Rogers  Road  residents  are  excited  about  the  new  development,  hoping  it  will  help   with  affordable  housing  in  the  area.     “It’s  been  a  long  time  coming,”  Peppers  said.  “It  should’ve  been  their  first  priority.”   Johnson  said  the  Town  of  Carrboro  plans  to  construct  sidewalks  in  the   neighborhood  sometime  in  the  coming  year.     While  the  Rogers  Road  community  has  struggled  with  the  burden  of  the  closed   landfill,  RENA  still  prioritizes  unity  and  social  justice  for  all.     RENA  leaders  plan  to  be  involved  in  community  development  changes  in  the  years   to  come  and  residents  like  Campbell,  Caldwell  and  Peppers  refuse  to  be  left  in  the   dark  again.     “It  takes  collaboration  and  participation  for  change  to  occur,”  Campbell  said.   “We’re  not  saying  we  don’t  want  development  to  come,  but  we  want  to  control  what   the  development  will  look  like.”     http://southernneighbor.com/2017/05/more-­‐than-­‐a-­‐history