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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 01-22-2019 Regular Meeting 1 APPROVED 2/5/2019 MINUTES BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS REGULAR MEETING January 22, 2019 7:00 p.m. The Orange County Board of Commissioners met in regular session on Tuesday, January 22, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. at the Whitted Building in Hillsborough, N.C. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Penny Rich and Commissioners Jamezetta Bedford, Mark Dorosin, Sally Greene, Earl McKee, Mark Marcoplos, and Renee Price COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: None COUNTY ATTORNEYS PRESENT: John Roberts COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager Bonnie Hammersley, Deputy County Manager Travis Myren and Clerk to the Board Donna Baker (All other staff members will be identified appropriately below) Chair Rich called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. 1. Additions or Changes to the Agenda NONE PUBLIC CHARGE Chair Rich acknowledged the public charge. Arts Moment Ashley Nissler, Orange County Arts Commission board member, introduced the artist: Alan Shapiro has published many poetry collections (including Reel to Reel, finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, and Night of the Republic, finalist for both the National Book Award and the International Griffin Prize), 4 books of prose, including The Last Happy Occasion, finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. Winner of the Kingsley Tufts Award, LA Times Book Prize, an award in literature from The American Academy of Arts and Letters, and The William Carlos Williams Award from the Poetry Society of America, he is also a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. His new book, Against Translation, will appear in March 2019. Alan Shapiro read a poem called "Letter to the Cemetery Owner", which was inspired by a limited Buy One Get One free (BOLO) burial plot offer at a local cemetery. 2. Public Comments a. Matters not on the Printed Agenda John Morris said he had concerns about open government, and he attended a meeting on January 10`" between GoTriangle and representatives from Orange and Durham County's Boards of County Commissioners. He said he was not allowed into the meeting, and was told that none of the boards represented were a quorum, and thus public notice was not required. He said these closed meetings are blocking public scrutiny of key decisions. He said the members of the meetings receive current information, and evaluate policy choices, which are hidden from the public. He said no 2 final decisions can be legally made, but a consensus may be reached, which is brought back to the three boards for an official decision. He said the Board of Orange County Commissioners (BOCC) will be presented consensus recommendations from the working group under time pressure for quick action, without having the full range of information that was available to the working group. He said the light rail project is at a critical stage with rapid design changes being made to resolve opposition, and with cost increases multiplying. He said the project represents a key choice among transit investment options that will foreclose other options, and will have a huge impact on County finances for decades. He said it is time for full public discussion and review of the project, as final decisions and commitments are considered under a tight timing schedule. He petitioned the Board to work with its partners to open up the working group, and other key, meetings, and said there is nothing to fear in allowing more people to be involved and having complete transparency. b. Matters on the Printed Agenda (These matters will be considered when the Board addresses that item on the agenda below.) 3. Announcements, Petitions and Comments by Board Members Commissioner McKee referred to the Department of Transportation (DOT) Plan for 1-40 and Highway 86, and said there have been some amendments to the plan and it will not affect the Northwood community as much as first expected. He said he will send a draft resolution to the Chair for consideration at the next BOCC meeting. Commissioner McKee endorsed Mr. Morris' petition to require transparency on the transportation discussions. He said Orange County has long stood for transparency, and his issue is with the moral imperative that when there are divisive discussions that all should be included. He said is he opposed to any more closed meetings involving light rail going forward. Commissioner McKee said he would like minutes from the January 10t" meeting, and going forward he would like to have minutes of these meetings within 7 working days. Commissioner Marcoplos said while Commissioner Bedford was at Commissioners' training in Asheville, he attended a Department of Social Services (DSS) meeting in her place. He said he learned that there are about 10,000 residents in Orange County that rely on food assistance. He said this was brought up within the context of the government shut down, and he said if the government does not reopen by the end of February, these residents will not have the typical funding for food upon which they rely. Commissioner Bedford said she and Commissioner Greene attended the School of Government (SOG) Essentials of Government training last week, and she also attended the Burlington-Graham Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). Commissioner Bedford said she met with Go Triangle staff to understand more about their purpose and history. Commissioner Price said many thanks to all who organized and participated in the MILK events this past weekend. Commissioner Price said the Durham/Chapel Hill/Carrboro MPO met last week, and, as a result, the 2018 state of the region report is out, and comments should be submitted by January 30t" Commissioner Price said the draft FY2020 Unified Planning Work Program was released for public comment, and the public hearing to approve it will be on February 13t" Commissioner Price petitioned staff to keep the Board up to date on the status of the effects of the government shutdown on Orange County residents. Commissioner Price said she participated in a conference call with the Rural Action Caucus of the National Association of Counties (NACo) today, which discussed a concern that 3 the 2020 census will have a major undercount, as most of the census filing will be done online or electronically, and many rural residents may not have access to the internet, etc. She said census data is important in determining federal program funding levels, as well as Federal Communications Commission (FCC) broadband mapping. She asked if staff would consider how Orange County can address the possible lack of access of its rural residents. Commissioner Price said the Board received a letter from Orange County School (OCS) regarding a resolution passed by OCS supporting local control of school calendars. She said the Board never responded to this resolution, and she asked if it could do so in some way. Commissioner Greene said she heard the same concerns regarding food at the Partnership to End Homelessness meeting. Commissioner Greene said she also enjoyed attending the SOG conference. Commissioner Greene said she attended the MLK celebration at Mount Bright Church in Hillsborough, which was inspirational. Commissioner Greene said she is holding office hours on January 26th at Cup-A-Joe in Hillsborough, and welcomed all to stop by. Commissioner Dorosin said since the Board last met he attended a Fire Chiefs Association meeting, and he said the Chiefs will be meeting with the Board of County Commissioners on February 12th- He said the Chiefs got a grant for a training facility and will bring the Board of County Commissioners some possible locations for this facility. He said the Chiefs are also in discussion with Durham Tech about possibly locating this facility on site. Commissioner Dorosin attended the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC) Legislative Goals Conference, which was interesting and enlightening. He said he moved to amend the NCACC's goal on the expansion of Medicaid, which led to a spirited debate, and the resolution ultimately lost by two votes. He said they were successful in defeating a separate amendment, which would have made the language even weaker. Commissioner Dorosin said it was suggested that all counties that support the change should write another resolution about the Medicaid expansion, even though Orange County has already done one. Commissioner Dorosin said he served on a public education census committee in 2000, and it may be worthwhile researching what this committee did last time in gearing up for the 2020 census. Chair Rich said this will be discussed at the Assembly of Government (AOG) meeting next week. Chair Rich said in response to the schools' petition, there was a desire to talk to the Visitors Bureau. She said the Board has received a response from the Visitors Bureau, and this topic can now be brought forward. Chair Rich thanked Commissioner Dorosin for fighting for the County at the NCACC. She asked if the Board should write another resolution in support of the expansion of Medicaid. Commissioner Dorosin said the Board can do so, and is unsure how recently the Board wrote the last one. He said perhaps it could be revived and sent onto other counties for similar use. He said if it has been more than a year since the original resolution was written, he would recommend writing a new one in light of the NCACC's action. Chair Rich said the Clerk will look into this. Chair Rich said there were many MLK events this past weekend, and she and Commissioner Dorosin attended a MLK park groundbreaking in Carrboro. She said this park is expected to be finished in early summer. Chair Rich said she also attended a youth-led National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) event at the Carrboro Century Center. Chair Rich joined Commissioner Greene, Commissioner Marcoplos and Commissioner McKee at the Mount Bright Church event. 4 Chair Rich referred to the MPO report that Commissioner Price mentioned, and said things are going the wrong way with more car crashes and bike crashes. She said the road is not being shared, and the public is not being educated on how to do so. She said the most crashes in Orange County happen at the intersection of 1-40 and Highway 86. Chair Rich said she talked and walked with the Northwood community, and those who were going to bring forward a resolution. Commissioner McKee said that is the same one he mentioned. Commissioner McKee said this proposal is the least impactful one that he has seen thus far. Chair Rich said DOT seems to have gotten the message from the neighbors and the elected officials. Chair Rich said she attended the Chapel Hill Legislative breakfast, and the biggest conversation was about electric scooters. Commissioner Price said there was an elected officials meeting with DOT about the widening of 1-40 and 86 through plan 4a and 4b. She said there seemed to be a better feel about plan 4b, which would not take out any homes and will be less expensive. Commissioner McKee said if Commissioners have time to go to the area, the route that will be formed by plan 4b is flagged and staked off. Chair Rich said the biggest concern with this plan is that it will become a super street, and Chapel Hill does not like super streets. Commissioner Bedford said there were several Town Council members at the meeting who seemed receptive. 4. Proclamations/ Resolutions/Special Presentations Chair Rich went straight to item 4-b, then returned to 4-a. a. Proclamation Recognizing Carrboro High School Women's Cross Country Team for Winning the 2018 State Championship The Board considered recognizing the Carrboro High School Women's Cross Country Team for winning the 2018 State Championship. Todd McGee, Community Relations Director, said that Coach Mimi O'Grady was unable to attend tonight. Commissioner Bedford read the proclamation: ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS PROCLAMATION OF RECOGNITION ON CARRBORO HIGH SCHOOL WINNING 2018 STATE CHAMPIONSHIP IN WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY WHEREAS, on November 3, 2018, the Carrboro High School Women's Cross Country Team won the North Carolina High School Athletic Association's 2A State Championship; and WHEREAS, under the guidance of Coach Mimi O'Grady, the team won its sixth state championship; and WHEREAS, Hannah Preisser won the individual state championship, becoming the seventh Jaguars runner to win an individual state title; and 5 WHEREAS, through hard work, dedication, teamwork, and commitment, the team brought honor upon themselves, Carrboro High School, the Chapel Hill/Carrboro City Schools District and Orange County; NOW, THEREFORE, be it proclaimed that the Orange County Board of Commissioners expresses its sincere appreciation and respect for the Carrboro High School Women's Cross Country Team and Coach O'Grady for their outstanding achievement, and their inspiration to youth across North Carolina through their dedication, teamwork, and athletic prowess. This the 22nd day of January 2019. A motion was made by Commissioner Bedford, seconded by Commissioner Price for the Board to approve and authorize the Chair to sign a proclamation recognizing the Carrboro High School Women's Cross Country Team and Coach Mimi O'Grady for winning the 2018 State Championship and the players and coaches for representing the community with the highest ideals of sportsmanship and integrity. VOTE: UNANIMOUS b. Proclamation Recognizing Chapel Hill High School's Men's Soccer Team for Winning the 2018 State Championship The Board considered recognizing the Chapel Hill High School Men's Soccer Team for winning the 2018 State Championship. Coach Jason Curtis introduced team members. Commissioner Marcoplos read the proclamation: ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS PROCLAMATION OF RECOGNITION ON CHAPEL HILL HIGH SCHOOL WINNING 2018 STATE CHAMPIONSHIP IN MEN'S SOCCER WHEREAS, on November 17, 2018, the Chapel Hill High School Men's Soccer Team won the North Carolina High School Athletic Association's 3A State Championship; and, WHEREAS, under the guidance of Coach Jason Curtis, the team won its fifth state championship and second in a row; and WHEREAS, through hard work, dedication, teamwork and commitment, the team brought honor upon themselves, Chapel Hill High School, the Chapel Hill/Carrboro City Schools District and Orange County; NOW, THEREFORE, be it proclaimed that the Orange County Board of Commissioners expresses its sincere appreciation and respect for the Chapel Hill High School Men's Soccer Team and Coach Curtis for their outstanding achievement, and their inspiration to youth across North Carolina through their dedication, teamwork and athletic prowess. This the 22nd day of January 2019. 6 A motion was made by Commissioner Marcoplos, seconded by Commissioner McKee for the Board to approve and authorize the Chair to sign a proclamation recognizing the Chapel Hill High School Men's Soccer Team and Coach Jason Curtis for winning the 2018 State Championship and the players and coaches for representing the community with the highest ideals of sportsmanship and integrity. VOTE: UNANIMOUS c. Resolution of Recognition for Andrew Sachs The Board considered voting to approve a resolution recognizing and expressing gratitude to Andrew (Andy) Sachs for his service to the Orange County Board of Commissioners and the people of Orange County as a coordinator for the Dispute Settlement Center. RES-2019-001 Commissioner Dorosin read the resolution: ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS RESOLUTION OF RECOGNITION FOR ANDREW SACHS WHEREAS, Andrew (Andy) Sachs, Coordinator for the Dispute Settlement Center, retired in October 2018; and WHEREAS, Mr. Sachs served as a mediator, group facilitator, and conflict resolution trainer since 1980; and WHEREAS, Andy has been a member of multiple state and national organizations, including serving on the Board of Directors of the North Carolina Mediation Network for 14 years; and WHEREAS, Andy has helped and supported many local agencies and governments through extremely challenging issues; and WHEREAS, Mr. Sachs assisted Orange County Government by mediating multiple projects over the years, including School Collaboration, the Comprehensive Plan, school merger discussions, the Firearms Safety Committee and multiple Board of County Commissioners' retreats; and WHEREAS, the Orange County Board of Commissioners will deeply miss Andy's skills and expertise in bringing potentially volatile issues to a productive conclusion; NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Orange County Board of Commissioners expresses its deep appreciation, gratitude and respect for the mediation services throughout the community provided by Andrew Sachs for Orange County Government and the people of Orange County, and that the Board wishes him well in his retirement. This the 22"d day of January 2019. A motion was made by Commissioner Dorosin, seconded by Commissioner Greene for the Board to approve and authorize the Chair to sign the attached resolution on behalf of the 7 Board recognizing and expressing appreciation to Andy Sachs for his mediation support to Orange County. VOTE: UNANIMOUS Commissioner McKee said Andy Sachs has a unique ability to take a divisive issue and get opposing groups to come to a compromise. He thanked him for his service. d. Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Board Update Presentation The Board received a brief presentation from representatives of the Orange County Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Board and to provide feedback or questions. Tony Dubois, Orange County ABC Director, said this is his 9t" year coming here, and 4 of the Board of County Commissioners have served on their board. He reviewed the information below: BACKGROUND: The ABC Board provides an annual update to the Board of Commissioners at the beginning of each calendar year. Keith Bagby, Chair of the Orange County Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Board, and Tony Dubois, Orange County ABC Executive Director, will provide a brief presentation on ABC Board activities, operations, and external audit services update, and will also respond to any questions. Under North Carolina General Statute 18B-701, the ABC Board is required to distribute its entire net income after deducting amounts required for law enforcement and education and retaining proper working capital, to the General Fund of the County, which represents a financial benefit to the County. The ABC Contribution to the County's General Fund had been set at $400,000 up through FY 2016-17. Based on Statewide benchmarking of other ABC Boards' contributions to their respective governments, the County requested additional funding of$150,000 for FY 2017-18. The ABC Board approved an increase of$100,000 to the County's General Fund from $400,000 to $500,000 for both FY 2017-18 and FY 2018-19. Another$35,000 is being provided this year to fund an additional request, making this year's total $535,000. The ABC Board also set aside $83,128 to contribute to the Board Retiree Health Care Plan. The Board funded local Alcohol Law Enforcement agencies at $160,000 and increased the amount available for community Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation grants for schools and local community organizations to $244,000. The total distributions from the board for fiscal year 2018-19 are $1,022,128. He read off the organizations to whom they have given funds: 8 Alcohol Law Enforcement Amount Hillsborough Police Department $ 10,000 Carrboro Police Department $ 19,000 Chapel Hill Police Department $ 31,000 Orange County Sheriffs Department $100,000 Total Alcohol Law Enforcement $160,000 Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation Compass Center for Women $ 4,000 Pathways to Change $ 4,000 El Centro Hispano $ 13,000 Mental Health Orange Co Teen Partnership $ 14,000 Carpe Diem $ 14,000 El Futuro $ 21,000 Freedom House Recovery $ 30,000 Chapel Hill UNC Collaborative $ 30,000 Orange County Schools $ 32,000 Orange County Drug Court $ 35,000 Chapel Hill-Carrboro city Schools $ 47,000 Total Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation $244,000 Tony Dubois said they put money back in to the community, and realize the social impacts of misuse of their product. He said the agencies, to which they give, support their cause and they are rarely motivated by profit. He said there are deep ties to the community by being responsible sellers to those that are served. Tony Dubois said the Carrboro ABC store has been completely remodeled this past year, and in 2019 the store in Hillsborough will be moved to a different location. Commissioner Dorosin asked if there is a method to determine how much funding the police departments get. Tony Dubois said the departments submit funding requests, and the allocations are based off of that. Commissioner Dorosin said he has heard talk about changes in the state regulatory structure, and asked if Tony Dubois has any sense of what may happen. Tony Dubois said he expects that the state structure would remain the same, and the main issue is how it is sold locally, which is out of their hands. He said they like the way it works now as it helps the community and has a local impact. He said other states that have privatized have seen prices sky rocket, outlets increase five fold, and a sharp increase in theft. Commissioner Dorosin expressed appreciation for the increase in funding coming back to the County, and he brought this up when he came onto the Board. He said the funding to other local organizations is also wonderful. e. Resolution Requesting That Representative David Price Endorse Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Resolution for a Select Committee on a Green New Deal The Board considered voting to approve a draft Resolution Requesting That Representative David Price Endorse Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Resolution for a Select Committee on a Green New Deal. 9 BACKGROUND: At the December 3, 2018 BOCC regular meeting, Commissioner Mark Marcoplos petitioned the Board to consider approving a resolution in support of the Green New Deal at the Board's next regular meeting. Because a short timeframe did not allow the Board to consider the resolution at the December 11, 2018 regular meeting, it is presented for Board consideration at this meeting. The Green New Deal is a four-part program for moving America quickly out of crisis into a secure, sustainable future. Inspired by the New Deal programs that helped the United States out of the Great Depression of the 1930s, the Green New Deal will provide similar relief and create an economy that makes communities sustainable, healthy and just. The four pillars of the Green New Deal, as outlined on the Green Party of the United States website, are: • The Economic Bill of Rights • A Green Transition • Real Financial Reform • A Functioning Democracy Additional information from the Green Party of the United States website on the four pillars is provided at Attachment 1. Attachment 2 is a draft resolution for Board consideration declaring that a climate emergency exists and requesting that Representative David Price join with the growing number of his Congressional peers and endorse Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's resolution for a select committee on a Green New Deal. FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no immediate financial impact associated with the Board considering the resolution. There may be future financial impacts to the County as it relates to the impacts of greenhouse gas emissions, as well as potential financial impacts with efforts to reduce those emissions as well as other proposed actions outlined in the Green New Deal. Commissioner Marcoplos said in the last year or two it has become clear that this crisis requires immediate action on all fronts. Commissioner Marcoplos read the resolution: ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS RESOLUTION REQUESTING THAT REPRESENTATIVE DAVID PRICE ENDORSE ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ'S RESOLUTION FOR A SELECT COMMITTEE ON A GREEN NEW DEAL WHEREAS, on October 8, 2018, the United Nations released a special report, criticized by many leading climate scientists as overly conservative, which projected that limiting warming to the unsafe 1.5°C target this century will require an unprecedented transformation of every sector of the global economy over the next 12 years; and WHEREAS, on November 23, 2018 the Federal Government issued a climate study detailing the massive threat that climate change poses to the American economy and underscoring the need for immediate climate emergency action at all levels of government; and 10 WHEREAS, the death and destruction already wrought by global warming of approximately 1.1°C above late 19th century levels demonstrates that the Earth is already too hot for safety and justice as attested by increased and intensifying wildfires, floods, rising seas, diseases, droughts and extreme weather; and WHEREAS, restoring a safe and stable climate requires a "Climate Mobilization" at all levels of government on a scale not seen since World War II to reach zero greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors at emergency speed, to rapidly and safely drawdown or remove all the excess carbon from the atmosphere, to end the 6th mass extinction of species, and to implement measures to protect all people and species from the increasingly severe consequences of climate change; and WHEREAS, to address the nation's urgent climate change needs and impacts, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has proposed a "Green New Deal"; and WHEREAS, the proposed Green New Deal would be a sweeping overhaul of the economy that includes equity and justice in its solutions and has the following goals: 1. Dramatically expand existing renewable power sources and deploy new production capacity with the goal of meeting 100% of national power demand through renewable sources; 2. building a national, energy-efficient, "smart" grid; 3. upgrading every residential and industrial building for state-of-the-art energy efficiency, comfort and safety; 4. eliminating greenhouse gas emissions from the manufacturing, agricultural and other industries, including by investing in local-scale agriculture in communities across the country; 5. eliminating greenhouse gas emissions from repairing and improving transportation and other infrastructure, and upgrading water infrastructure to ensure universal access to clean water; 6. funding massive investment in the drawdown of greenhouse gases; 7. making "green" technology, industry, expertise, products and services a major export of the United States, with the aim of becoming an international leader in helping other countries transition to completely greenhouse gas neutral economies and bringing about a global Green New Deal. WHEREAS, justice calls for climate resilience that addresses the specific experiences, vulnerabilities, and needs of marginalized communities within our jurisdiction, who must be included and supported in actively engaging in climate resilience planning, policy, and actions; and WHEREAS, actions to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions and/or drawdown greenhouse gases may be taken in ways that also improve resilience to the effects of climate change, and vice versa; and WHEREAS, justice requires that frontline communities, which have historically borne the brunt of the extractive fossil-fuel economy, participate actively in the planning and implementation of this mobilization effort at all levels of government and that they benefit first from the transition to a renewable energy economy; and WHEREAS, fairness demands the protection and expansion of workers' right to organize as well as a guarantee of high-paying, high-quality jobs with comprehensive benefits for all and 11 many other tenets of a Green New Deal effort as the mobilization to restore a safe climate is launched; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Orange County Board of Commissioners declares that a climate emergency threatens our county, region, state, nation, civilization, humanity and the natural world; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Orange County Board of Commissioners requests that Representative David Price join with the growing number of his Congressional peers and endorse Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's resolution for a select committee on a Green New Deal. This the 22nd Day of January 2019. PUBLIC COMMENT: Riley Ruske said 3 minutes is not nearly enough time to discuss this resolution, and the Board of County Commissioners should hold several public hearings on this matter before bringing it to a vote. He said these hearings should invite both supporters and opponents to allow for open discussion and full information to the public. He said the Green New Deal is a radical agenda hiding behind a concern about climate change, and is an effort to destroy our democratic republic and its constitution, and replace them with a hybrid socialist/communist bureaucracy, which is nothing to do with climate change. He said this would end rights and freedoms. He said the agenda item abstract write up is grossly misleading. He said citizens should not be fooled by this effort to turn the United States into a socialist/communist China, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela, or Russia. He encouraged the Board to remember its oath to protect and uphold the constitution, and voting in favor of this resolution would be a willful abandonment of said oath. Commissioner McKee asked, rhetorically, if the resulting costs from enacting this "deal" could be identified. Commissioner Price said there is a lot in this resolution, but in the end, Commissioner Marcoplos is asking Congressman David Price to support the forming of a committee to look into this Green New Deal. She said an affirmative vote this evening would not be equal to the BOCC endorsing everything in this resolution. Commissioner Marcoplos said the resolution says that these conditions are so pressing that a committee is needed to enact the Green New Deal. Commissioner Price said an affirmative vote for the resolution would acknowledge that there is a climate change crisis and support the formation of a special task force to look into the Green New Deal, but does not indicate that the Board is going to enact the Green New Deal. Commissioner Greene said the Green New Deal is very complicated and has many parts, including changing to the status of corporations, and would restore a lot of democracy. She said it will cost money, and this resolution is asking David Price to support a select committee on a Green New Deal. Commissioner Greene referred to the cost, and asked if the counter thought is what will it cost us if this is not done. She said it may be radical, but we are at a crisis point and something must be done. Commissioner Bedford said one of her concerns with the party platform is some of the economic changes that are proposed to be made, but overall she agrees with Commissioner Greene and Commissioner Price. She said wanted to know if anyone has talked with David Price about this and his intentions. She suggested it may be wise to have a conversation with him, and said she left a message for him today. She does support the need for climate change, but wonders if this is the best way to approach working with Congressman Price. 12 Commissioner Marcoplos echoed Commissioner Green's comments about the cost incurred if no action is taken. He said this resolution is publicly asking David Price for support on the behalf of the Orange County residents. Commissioner McKee said he would not argue with a resolution that voices concerns about climate change, but that is not what this resolution says. He said he would not have concerns over the Green New Deal if Representative Ocasio-Cortez would come forward with projected costs, and what the real changes would be. He said there are things in the resolution that he completely agrees with regarding the environmental changes, and especially the request to implement a voter marked paper ballot for all voting; and restoring the vote to ex-offenders who have paid their debt to society. Commissioner McKee said this is a chicken little/the sky is falling resolution, and is fear mongering. He said there is a cost to doing nothing, but he feels most Americans support addressing environmental concerns. He said things like fair taxation that are distributed in proportion to ability to pay seems like a confiscation of wages. Commissioner Dorosin asked if that point is in the resolution. Commissioner McKee said it is in the abstract, which is an attachment to the resolution. He said the abstract also promotes the nationalization of banks, nationalization of stockholders, etc. He said these changes would affect 401 ks, bankers, reduce military funding, etc. Commissioner Dorosin said the concerns raised by Commissioner McKee are not in the resolution, and it is his understanding that the attachment will not be part of the resolution. He said the resolution supports the forming of a committee that will see the Green New Deal formed. He said he does not think a vote in favor of the resolution is a vote endorsing the attachment. He said he is happy to endorse the resolution and start the debate about how to address environmental concerns. Commissioner Dorosin echoed Commissioner Marcoplos' comments about a public discussion versus private conversation. Commissioner Marcoplos said he did not insert the Green Party's take on the Green New Deal into the abstract, but rather it was a good faith effort by staff to provide some background information about what one organization (of many) might bring to such a select committee. He said he based the resolution on other resolutions, and the other stuff is irrelevant. Commissioner McKee referred to the resolution and the first whereas: "WHEREAS, on October 8, 2018, the United Nations released a special report, criticized by many leading climate the scientists as overly conservative, which projected that limiting warming to the unsafe 1.5°C target this century will require an unprecedented transformation of every sector of the global economy over the next 12 years". He said in order to achieve this a global government will have to be instituted. Commissioner McKee referred to the 4t" whereas: "to rapidly and safely drawdown or remove all the excess carbon from the atmosphere, to end the 6th mass extinction of species," and said there is no scientific basis for this claim. Commissioner McKee said he is aware that the attachment is not part of the resolution, but given the excesses of the attachment, an affirmative vote for the resolution would be an endorsement of the Green New Deal. He said he does not mind endorsing things that are reasonable and attainable, but ideas such as nationalizing the US economy and a 12 -year time frame for implementation are unreasonable. Commissioner McKee said if the Board wants a resolution, it should form a committee (as it did with gun safety), bringing all sides of the debate together, to create a doable and reasonable proposal. Commissioner Price asked if the attachment from the Green Party is the definitive green new deal, or is it one entity's suggestions for the discussion. 13 Commissioner Marcoplos said, as far as he knows, it is one entity's suggestions for the debate. Commissioner Price asked if this resolution is sent forward, will the attachment be included. Commissioner Marcoplos said he only submitted the resolution. Commissioner Price asked if the resolution can be sent to the Commission for the Environment (CfE) first. Commissioner Marcoplos said there is no time to waste, and there is science to back up the resolution. Commissioner Greene proposed striking the phrases "over the next 12 years" and "to end the 61h mass extinction of the species." She referred to the tax rate for highest earning Americans, and noted it was as high as 70% until the 1980s. She said she disagreed that a global government will be needed, but rather the whole global economy is going to be affected by this global crisis. Commissioner McKee said he stated his opinion, and the background documents are his greatest concern. He said he extremely leery of the some of the proposed changes, and opposed extremely high tax rates in 1980s and still does now. Commissioner Greene said the tax rate was even higher during WWII. Commissioner McKee said WWII was a true national emergency. Chair Rich said attachment 1 is from the Green Party, and is one opinion on how the Green New Deal could work. She said it will not be attached to the resolution. John Roberts said the resolution stands alone, and there is no attachment reference. Chair Rich told Commissioner Bedford that the Board sends many resolutions to people prior to speaking with them. She said this practice is not unusual at all, and promotes a more public process. Chair Rich asked Commissioner Marcoplos if he accepted the suggestions from Commissioner Greene to strike certain phrases from the resolution. Commissioner Marcoplos said no, and the phrase "the next 12 years" is the most important phrase in the resolution. He said it is the most alarming piece of climate change, and the public needs to be alerted. He said the 6th mass extinction is also scientifically backed. Commissioner Rich asked if Commissioner McKee is making a motion to form a committee. Commissioner McKee said he would leave that to the will of the Board, but considers it a prudent idea for open dialogue. A motion was made by Commissioner Marcoplos, seconded by Commissioner Dorosin for the Board to approve the Resolution Requesting That Representative David Price Endorse Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Resolution for a Select Committee on a Green New Deal. VOTE: Ayes, 6; Nays, 1 (Commissioner McKee) Commissioner Dorosin said he would like to ask the CfE to consider some of this, and provide this evening's minutes to them. The Board agreed by consensus. Commissioner Price said climate change is going to lead to migration of people groups, and she feels this is often overlooked. 5. Public Hearings NONE 6. Regular Agenda 14 NONE 7. Reports a. Orange County Public Transportation Short Range Transit Plan The Board received a report on the Orange County Public Transportation Short Range Transit Plan (draft) and recommendations for the final Report, in preparation for further discussion and feedback at the Board's January 25, 2019 Retreat. Theo Letman, Transit Director, reviewed the following information: BACKGROUND: Orange County Public Transportation (OCPT) currently operates three fixed routes: Hillsborough Circulator, Orange— Chapel Hill Mid-Day Connector, and Orange —Alamance Mid- Day Connector. These OCPT fixed routes are financed through the Article 43 Tax District funds. Article 43 Tax District funds provide an opportunity for Orange County residents, customers and community partners to access an additional source of revenue with which to meet the needs for financing public transportation systems. Recommendations are provided to maintain and expand upon current service levels, based upon qualitative analysis and public outreach, conducted over the course of a year, utilizing surveys, public meetings, information sessions and websites. Due to the amount of new information contained in the report, staff will present the findings and recommendations in anticipation of a policy discussion at the Board's annual retreat. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Orange County Public Transportation (OPT) provides transit service throughout Orange County, including both demand response and fixed-route service. Identifying performance of the existing system, areas of unmet transit demand, assessing priorities of passengers, and prioritizing service improvements with a limited budget are keys to addressing the needs of the community. To ensure integrated, high performing transit service across the region, OPT's Short Range Transit Plan (SRTP) assesses the market for transit service, operations in Orange County, and prioritizes future recommendations. Existing Conditions OPT currently operates three midday/off peak, weekday, fixed-route bus services in Orange County—the Hillsborough Circulator, the Orange-Chapel Hill Midday Connector, and the Orange-Alamance Connector, as shown in Figure ES-1. As part of the SRTP, an analysis was conducted to provide an overview of the operating context for OPT, demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, and general system performance. Findings included the following: • There is opportunity to improve ridership on existing services. The Hillsborough Circulator and the Orange-Chapel Hill Midday Connector serve approximately 64 and 15 average daily riders, respectively. • Population density in Orange County outside of Chapel Hill and Carrboro is relatively low. The majority of the county does not have the population or employment density to support fixed-route transit. • The most common commute destinations for north Orange County residents are to Hillsborough, Durham, and Chapel Hill. 15 Public Outreach Two phases of outreach were conducted as part of the SRTP—the first phase took place in November 2017 to understand the needs of existing riders and non-riders, and the second phase occurred in September 2018 to confirm future service priorities. Top priorities from each of the outreach phases included the following: • Improving weekday and Saturday service frequency and providing later evening service • Improving local circulation in Hillsborough and providing connections to Chapel Hill Service Prioritization Typically, fixed-route transit service is best suited for areas with sufficiently high population and employment density to provide adequate ridership to sustain the service. In rural or suburban areas, like much of Orange County, frequent fixed-route service may not be the most effective method of service delivery. Instead, multiple service types may be appropriate depending on the density of population and jobs, the distribution of community services, and potential connections to surrounding areas and transit services. As such, recommended improvements for OPT represent a combination of service types. Recommendations were prioritized to provide access to jobs from rural areas, respond to public feedback by expanding service hours and improving frequency on existing routes, and improving connections between Mebane, Efland, and Hillsborough. A summary of these improvements is provided in Figure ES-2, and the proposed system map is shown in Figure ES- 3. The prioritized recommendations are intended to provide the maximum benefit within current funding levels and provide a path for future investment should additional funding become available. Commissioner Marcoplos said he has spoken about a park and ride at White Cross before, and asked if this fits into the local plan in any way. He said it would be particularly helpful on UNC game days. Theo Letman said that is more of a planning/capital question. He said it can be taken up as a priority as staff progresses through the transit planning process. He said there are limitations to what can be done in the short term, and he has listed priorities based on the public's view of things, but that is not to say additional ideas are not welcome. Commissioner Marcoplos said there is a UNC records storage building out there with a lot of space around it, and many people driving on highway 54 are going to UNC. He said it would be worth opening a conversation with UNC about a potential partnership. Commissioner Dorosin said the Orange-Chapel Hill midday connector has 15 average daily riders, and asked if this is accurate. Theo Letman that is correct for the midday. He said the bulk of that service is provided around peak travel times (morning and afternoon). Commissioner Dorosin asked if it is financially feasible to maintain a route that only has 15 average daily riders. Theo Letman said it is questionable. He said the plan is not etched in marble and can be changed, with the goal of always improving transit. Commissioner Dorosin referred to the table in figure ES-2, and asked if staff could identify the services that would be considered mobility on demand. Theo Letman said the zonal services and the vanpool services. Commissioner Dorosin clarified that some of the services in this table are not currently funded. 16 Theo Letman said some are currently funded, and items 1, 2 and 3 are proposed for funding. Commissioner Dorosin asked if the vanpool subsidy program, item 7, is a mobility-on- demand service. Theo Letman said yes, and this service is not currently funded. Commissioner Dorosin said the idea for a County Uber-type service as been floated around previously. He said he would like to know projected ridership numbers for some of the services, so the Board can evaluate the best way to use funding. He said he appreciates the report and the priority of providing useful transportation services, but wants to make sure ridership is being optimized, and the most residents being reached by the dollars available. Commissioner McKee asked if any studies were done on an Uber-like service and the cost differences between on demand services versus County fleets. Theo Letman said the consultants looked into existing services as well as researching other entities that have greater mobility-on-demand services. He said comparisons were completed and can be brought the Board retreat later this week. Commissioner Marcoplos asked if there is a status update on the reverse circulator. Theo Letman said that is one of the items at the top of the list, and was strongly supported by staff with the consultants. Commissioner Marcoplos asked if there is a timeline. Theo Letman said hopefully this year. Chair Rich said there was a previous suggestion to run the service for a decent period of time (more than a month), and then evaluate the numbers. She said she even recalls the proposal of gathering numbers for a 2-year period. Commissioner Price asked if the anticipated cost to the consumer can be researched to insure that low income residents can access the transportation. Commissioner Dorosin said he was not suggesting a private Uber-like service, but rather a County run model that was on demand and could be subsidized. Commissioner McKee said he would also like to know how the Department of Social Services (DSS) and the Health Department could play into offsetting the costs for lower income residents. Commissioner Bedford said the report discussed splitting the Hillsborough connector in two, and noted that some comments said this service is too slow, which affects ridership. She would like to weigh the cost of adding the additional drivers with the ridership numbers. Theo Letman said he can get this information. Commissioner Price the Hillsborough Circulator has been the topic of discussion for many years, and the issue is that it can take one 5 minutes to get from point A to B, but when one wants to go back home, it can take 55 minutes. b. GoTriangle Update on Transit Oriented Development Study The Board received a summary of information presented in the Transit Oriented Development Guidebook that illustrates development potential around the proposed Durham- Orange Light Rail Stations. Patrick McDonough, GoTriangle Manager of Planning and Transit-Oriented Development, reviewed the following information and PowerPoint presentation: BACKGROUND: This report will update the Board of Commissioners on the final product of an economic development and planning study related to development potential around the Durham-Orange Light Rail Stations. GoTriangle received a $1.7 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to help plan areas around the rail stations. 17 The Gateway Planning Group worked with GoTriangle, Durham, Chapel Hill and the Triangle-J Council of Governments to create one development scenario for each of the project's eighteen (18) station areas. These development scenarios are compiled in the Transit Oriented Development Guidebook https://gotriangle.org/tod/guidebook. The guidebook attempts to illustrate opportunities to guide growth, expand access to jobs and opportunity, and generate tax revenue. The guidebook is also intended to serve as a blueprint for land use and zoning decisions the City of Durham and the Town of Chapel Hill could make to realize the benefits that transit-oriented development provides. Go Forward: A Community Investment in Transit TOD Guidebook Action Steps Orange County Board of County Commissioners January 2019 Today's Agenda • The Opportunity • What We Found • Action Steps The Opportunity • Coordinate neighborhood planning, the market for walkable TOD, and the design of light rail • Collaborate across local governments, universities, and transit • Facilitate economic development Outcomes That Could Be Realized Within 1/4 mile of the stations, an opportunity for: • 43,500 New jobs • 44,000 new residents • 4 million new annual transit trips (2040) The TOD Guidebook (pie chart) Economic Development (chart) Net New Tax Revenue By Jurisdiction (chart) Action Step n. Work that is part of an intentional and coordinated leadership-driven game plan built on community goals. Action Steps • Prioritization • Affordable Housing • Infrastructure • Parking • Partnerships • Streets and Public Space 18 • Zoning Gateway + Patterson Place • A TOD Opportunity (map) Gateway & Patterson Place Concepts (map) Infrastructure Highlights • Sewer pump station • Danziger Drive Complete Street Connection • US 15-501 Bike and Pedestrian Connections Emerging Affordable Housing Research Key Findings: • At the regional level, additional market-rate and additional subsidized housing BOTH reduce displacement pressure • Each subsidized affordable home reduces displacement pressure as much as two market-rate homes -Miriam Zuk & Karen Chapple, Institute of Governmental Studies, 2016 Musical Chairs & Housing Markets • Adding More Chairs or More Homes Reduces Competition and Lets More People Participate Two Ways to Reduce Competition • New Market Rate Home Reduces Competition for Existing Home Serving Low Income Resident • New Permanently Affordable Home Reduces Competition For Income-Qualified Resident Zoninq / Streets / Public Space • Adopt transit-supportive future land use map designations and policies • Establish TOD standards and review processes -Building Placement and Size -Streetscape -Public Spaces • Remove barriers to building Missing Middle Housing near light rail stations Affordable Housing • Leverage new property values to fund affordable homes • Incentivize landlords to rehabilitate and preserve affordable homes • Remove regulatory barriers to housing and recalibrate density bonus programs The Power of Cross-Department Coordination • We learned Patterson Place needs a sewer lift station to support greater density (Market Study) • The Lift Station acts as a catalyst for next round of development in station area (Infrastructure) 19 • Zoning changes allow more intense development + new AH density bonus (Zoning) • New Development yields tax revenue for community goals (Economic Development) • Leadership allocates some of that revenue towards affordable housing/other community goals (Community Priorities) Net New Tax Revenue By Jurisdiction (graph) Discussion A Conservative Market Study • Triangle Region Has Grown 3% - 5% per year over past 30 years • Durham / Chapel Hill has historically captured 20% —25% of that growth A Conservative Market Study: Multifamily (graph) A Conservative Market Study: Office (graph) Final Thought: Paris & Chicago (picture) PUBLIC COMMENT: Julie McClintock said she sent a letter to Board of County Commissioners earlier, the main point of which is the importance of accurate information for the FTA, the Board, and the public. She reviewed the letter, which highlighted concerns that have been raised regarding growth projections. She said it is easy to be seduced by the prospect of 1360 acres that are ripe for development, but many of the acres are on UNC property, and thus not-taxable. She said many of the acres are in wetlands, and are undevelopable. She also noted that 15-501 is three years away from gridlock, which she can back up with studies that have been completed. She said in the last ten years of primary residential growth in Chapel Hill, the cost of town government services has risen by an average of 3.7%, while property tax revenues only rose by an average of 1.3%. Commissioner Bedford referred to the slide with the net new tax revenue by jurisdiction, and asked if"net" could be defined. Patrick McDonough said there is a baseline property value based on 2017 values, and a "what if nothing happens" (the property gains in value, but does not redevelop over time), which gets inflated out into the future. He said the "net new" is what happens if the property redevelops, and has a new tax value, but the value of that which was taken away is also subtracted. He said an example is removing a one story office building and replacing it with a four story office building; the value of the one story building would be subtracted from the value of the four story building, and be compared to the figures from the "what if nothing happened" scenario. Commissioner Bedford clarified that these do not include the cost of the sewage pump, the bridge over 15-501, EMS, or any other costs associated with development. Patrick McDonough said the whole point of having the critical infrastructure recommendations in the report is acknowledging exactly Commissioner Bedford's point. He said there are going to be other pieces of infrastructure that will be needed to make these fully functioning communities. He said the report makes recommendations on infrastructure that would have to be paid for. 20 Commissioner Bedford said the report discussed cumulative revenue of$1.4 to $1.9 billion, and said she would subtract that from the $3.3 billion it will cost to build and finance the line. Patrick McDonough said this study is focused on the neighborhoods around the line, and the tax value in the report is for through the prism of property tax. He said the costs to build and operate the light rail are contained within the sales tax and the transit plans. He said these are separated so that if the BOCC elects not to develop around the light rail stations, there would still be costs for the light rail operation and maintenance. Commissioner Price said at the MPO meeting there were challenges from Chapel Hill Mayor Pam Hemminger, and Town Council Member Parker about the growth projections, and she asked if there is a plan to address these challenges. Patrick McDonough said GoTriangle offered to meet with the Chapel Hill Town Council, and that the numbers presented by Dwight Bassett to the Economic Sustainability Committee in December are quite close to those presented by GoTriangle. He said confusion may be coming in as people are looking at the market study versus the guidebook concept plans. Commissioner Price said this report is just one idea. Patrick McDonough said that is right. He said this report's subtitle could be "one possible future," and there are thousands of possible futures. He said the actual outcome be shaped by the private market's response to zoning, regulatory and public and investment decisions made by Chapel Hill Town Council. Commissioner Marcoplos referred to the 1360 acres, and asked if the involvement of UNC land could be clarified. Patrick McDonough said GoTriangle engaged UNC within the first few months of getting started, and tried to get at the question of if the University has private development on its land, is it taxable or not. He said this is a public policy debate, and they considered other university communities around the country. He said each of the station pages in the report includes a development summary. He referred to the one for Mason Farm Road, UNC hospital and UNC campus, all of which say no private development. He said the presumption is that development will not happen in these areas. He said in terms of other stations, like Gateway, there has been concerns raised that Eastowne (page 124) was included in the calculations, but they are not in the tax calculation. He said in the appendix, it does show up as being counted, and this was heavily debated, as ultimately this a negotiation between the Town of Chapel Hill and the University of North Carolina. He said these discussions have been broached, and there are other communities where there are payments in lieu of taxes. He said this was a market oriented study, and it tried to capture what that would be so that one can understand the scale of the opportunity in terms of what would settle there, if the market allowed it. He said he recognizes that this may not be what public policy prefers, but it is one possible future. Commissioner McKee referred to the acreage, and said the first number is 7026 acres, which is the amount within the concentric circles in the station areas. He asked if this is correct. Patrick McDonough referred to the Gateway station, and said there is a red line around the station. He said a similar boundary is shown at every station. He said the sum of all of these red line areas is 7026 acres. Commissioner McKee said that 7026 total acreage is Durham and Orange Counties combined. Patrick McDonough said that is correct. Commissioner McKee said of that total, 1361 is the total acreage in Durham and Orange Counties that is developable or re-developable. He asked if that is correct. Patrick McDonough said it is both, and it depends on the status of the land as to whether it is developable or re-developable. He said the local planning departments would provide insight into these decisions. 21 Commissioner McKee asked if Patrick McDonough could identify the number of acres, within the 1361 acres, that are in an environmental area upon which one cannot build. Patrick McDonough said he does not have that exact number. He said most of the development is on land that the various planning staffs believed was developable, or where there is existing development. Commissioner McKee asked if the acreage that is owned by UNC or other non-profits, and thus will not generate profit, have been deducted from the 1361 acres. Patrick McDonough said the study did not look consider things "in and out" by acres. Commissioner McKee said it is critical to know how many acres upon which there can be development. Patrick McDonough said for Mason Farm Road/UNC hospital the answer is zero. He said at other stations one must consider the status of the acreage. He said generally the re- developable parcels are mostly parcels on private land. Patrick McDonough said the answer in the final 30 years will likely turn to a discussion of payment in lieu of taxes. Commissioner McKee said he is trying to get at is how much value per acre has to occur for the project to be net positive. He asked how much revenue is 1360 acres supposed to generate. Patrick McDonough said the 1360 acreage is a net new property value of$3.3-4.5 billion, and net new annual tax revenue up and down the line of$45-60 million Commissioner McKee said each acre is going to have to generate $3.3 million, and his point is that he does not trust the figures. Commissioner McKee said in 2014, there was a cost-benefit analysis study in Chapel Hill of the Blue Hill district that showed there was not net positive revenue for 20 years out. He said he wants to know when a net positive result can be expected. He said the County has a lot of needs that will not be paid for by the transit tax, and all of the cost that will occur will be eaten up by the $3.3-4.5 billion. Patrick McDonough referred page A-110 in the appendix, which has a table that begins with Orange County. He said the bottom line of this table is the net new accumulated tax revenue. He said there is a separate table to Chapel Hill on the next page. He said this is roughly what Gateway Planning thinks the revenue flow will be over that time, and depending on to what it is compared in infrastructure, the return of investment (ROI) may seem positive or not good enough. Commissioner McKee said his concern is exactly what is being discussed. He said from 2018-2037 it may be possible to hit the $13.5 million new revenue, but if the infrastructure costs and associated costs for affordable housing, bridges, lift stations, etc. exceed this amount then it is not possible to be net positive. Patrick McDonough said part of the answer depends on which infrastructure gets prioritized, and where it was in the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). He said there are infrastructure recommendations, but there is no timeline, and it is hard to do the cost side without a timeline. He said it is all worth discussion. Commissioner Greene said she is unclear about the $3.5 billion, to which Commissioner McKee referred. Commissioner McKee said the net new property value on the 1361 acres. Commissioner Marcoplos said Glenwood Elementary School (ES) sits near a station and the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools District (CHCCS) is planning on holding on to the school in anticipation of the money that will be made from the higher cost land at the stations, and the potential for development. He asked if this type of property is considered a non-profit, or undevelopable land. Staff member from GoTriangle said Glenwood ES is not considered part of the re- developable land. He said the tax revenue is based on the property tax base that exists today, 22 and right now, Glenwood ES does not pay property taxes. He said that base line is continued forward, which is the same for UNC Hospital, Duke Hospital, etc. Commissioner Marcoplos said it is complicated. Patrick McDonough said Glenwood ES is not highlighted as a re-developable area in the Hamilton Station. Commissioner McKee asked if it is known how much new tax revenue would occur naturally without it. Patrick McDonough said when one looks at the net new over the baseline, the baseline presumes the land grows in value. He said a great way to see evidence of that is to look at the Mason Farm Road/UNC Hospital plans, where there is no development imagined, but the property tax revenue does go up. Commissioner Bedford asked if Patrick McDonough removed Eastowne from ED slide. Patrick McDonough said he would need to check, but he would sense that Eastowne is probably in the corridor total of the $1.4-1.9 billion, though it is not in the Gateway Station. He said he will need to double check. Commissioner Marcoplos said it is complicated to think about costs and benefits, because there are many things that cannot be predicted accurately. He said there are a lot of ancillary benefits: jobs will be provided, which leads to lower cost of services; less congestion; less pollution; protecting rural areas from sprawl, etc. He said this is "one possible future," and the final decisions will be a product of many decisions that are made. He said he is excited about a fourth economic development district, and sees potential for collaborative effort between Chapel Hill and Orange County to meet the needs of the County and the Town. He believes the Board is doing what the residents want it to. Commissioner Marcoplos said if, and when, the full funding grant agreement comes through, this is going to happen. He said around 2025 there will start to be serious interest in and around these rail stations. Chair Rich said she is excited about this too, and especially about the possibility of a fourth economic development district. She said people want to live, work and play near public transit, and building Gateway the way they want/need it is a first step. Chair Rich said the Chapel Hill Planning Department worked with GoTriangle throughout this entire process. Patrick McDonough agreed, and said many, many partners worked on this, and the intergovernmental cooperation is special. Chair Rich said one way to continue moving forward is to start having conversations with Chapel Hill. She said this is not just what the elected officials want, but it is also what the public wants, and there is an economic opportunity that cannot be denied. Commissioner Greene congratulated Patrick McDonough and GoTriangle for getting the grant to do this study, and she said GoTriangle has consistently worked closely with the Chapel Hill Town Council. Commissioner Greene referred to affordable housing, and said Chapel Hill has already changed its ordinance to allow accessory housing by reducing the required lot size and reducing the parking requirements. Commissioner Greene said she was interested in purchasing an apartment complex as it was on the downward slope, and a Chapel Hill developer proposed this idea a few years back. She said it did not pan out at that time, but is an idea to hold onto. Commissioner Greene asked if Chapel Hill has talked about land banking. Patrick McDonough said he does not know, but land banking is a strategy in the guidebook. He said the Council of Governments (COG) has led the regional scan of all public lands. Commissioner Greene said voluntary density bonuses are another idea to attract affordable housing. 23 Patrick McDonough said one cannot regulate the way to affordable housing; there must be investment. Chair Rich said the Durham/Chapel Hill/Orange Work Group learned how Durham is being proactive about many of these things, and asked if the report around Patterson Place could be provided to Commissioner Greene and the rest of the Board. Commissioner Greene echoed support for drilling down into partnerships on affordable housing with the Town, and noted that this week's retreat would be a good time for discussion. Chair Rich said there needs to be partnerships on every aspect of this project. Commissioner Marcoplos asked if the Manager would specifically talk to Chapel Hill about its schedule for station development, goals, meetings, etc. 8. Consent Agenda • Removal of Any Items from Consent Agenda Item 8-e by Commissioner Greene • Approval of Remaining Consent Agenda A motion was made by Commissioner Dorosin, seconded by Commissioner McKee to approve the remaining items on the Consent Agenda. VOTE: UNANIMOUS • Discussion and Approval of the Items Removed from the Consent Agenda 8-e: Fiscal Year 2018-19 Budget Amendment#5 The Board considered voting to approve budget, grant, and capital project ordinance amendments for fiscal year 2018-19. Commissioner Greene applauded that Orange County Library Services has received notification of an increase of$19,289 from the Orange County Partnership for Young Children related to the Library's Time to Read program. This increase in funds provides for the increase in the time-limited Community Outreach Literacy Coordinator position from a .75 FTE to a 1.0 FTE, effective January 1, 2019. As part of Budget Amendment#1 on September 4, 2018, this position had been reduced from a 1.0 FTE to a .75 FTE due to the loss of Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) State Library Grant funds. This budget amendment provides for the receipt of these increased funds, reinstates the time-limited Community Outreach Literacy Coordinator position to a 1.0 FTE, effective January 1, 2019, A motion was made by Commissioner Greene, seconded by Commissioner Price to approve the budget, grant, and capital project ordinance amendments for fiscal year 2018-19. VOTE: UNANIMOUS a. Minutes The Board approved the minutes from December 3 and 18, 2018 as submitted by the Clerk to the Board. b. Motor Vehicle Property Tax Releases/Refunds The Board adopted a resolution, which is incorporated by reference, to release motor vehicle property tax values for eight taxpayers with a total of eight bills that will result in a reduction of revenue in accordance with the NCGS. c. Property Tax Releases/Refunds 24 The Board adopted a resolution, which is incorporated by reference, to release property tax values for seventeen taxpayers with a total of forty bills that will result in a reduction of revenue in accordance with North Carolina General Statute 105-381. d. Applications for Property Tax Exemption/Exclusion The Board approved ten untimely applications for exemption/exclusion from ad valorem taxation for ten bills for the 2018 tax year. e. Fiscal Year 2018-19 Budget Amendment#5 The Board approved budget, grant, and capital project ordinance amendments for fiscal year 2018-19 for the Health Department; Library Services; Visitors Bureau Fund; Emergency Services; Department on Aging; Housing and Community Development. f. Refund of Overpayment of Excise Tax The Board approved a refund for overpayment of Excise Tax in the amount of$3,580. g. Change in BOCC Regular Meeting Schedule for 2019 The Board approved one change to the Board of Commissioners' regular meeting calendar for 2019. h. Declaration by Board of County Commissioners to Appoint Jurisdictional Fire Inspectors to All Public School Systems in Orange County The Board appointed a jurisdictional fire inspector for each public school system per the requirements in North Carolina General Statute 115C-525 (b) (2). L Approval to Extend the East Orange Fire Insurance District Boundary from the Central Orange Fire Insurance District The Board approved the proposed East Orange Fire Insurance District map which has been expanded to include properties from the Central Orange Fire District that are not currently in the rated insurance district. j. Approval to Extend the Cedar Grove Fire Insurance District Boundary from the Central Orange Fire Insurance District The Board approved the proposed Cedar Grove Fire Insurance District map which has been expanded to include properties from the Central Orange Fire District that are not currently in the rated insurance district. k. Easement Agreement with Duke Energy Related to County-Owned Orange High School Property The Board approved the deed of easement to Duke Energy for the installation and maintenance of electrical facilities on County-owned property at Orange High School and authorized the Chair to sign. I. Ratification of Contract Signature Authority for Emergency Contract The Board ratified the County Manager's signature on an emergency repair contract change request executed with the WxProofing, LLC. in the amount of$25,996 which increased the original contract sum to $105,864 and above the Manager's signature limit of$90,000. m. Authorization for the County Manager to Execute Contracts for Ambulance Remounts The Board authorized the County Manager to execute contracts for the purchase and remounting of ambulances approved during the FY 2018-19 budget process. 9. County Manager's Report Bonnie Hammersley said she met with the Town of Chapel Hill (TOCH) Manager and discussed the Wegman's project and how the County will be informed. She said it was agreed that the Economic Development Directors will keep the Managers informed and will report back any changes to each entity. Bonnie Hammersley referred to the Gateway Station planning, and she requested that Chair Rich and Commissioner Marcoplos be included on the distribution listing for any correspondence and meetings related to the Gateway Station, and presume these two Commissioners would share this information with the BOCC. 25 Bonnie Hammersley said the Board previously raised the topics of the Hillsborough train station and sidewalks, and she has a meeting scheduled with Margaret Hauth, Hillsborough Planning, and Eric Peterson, Hillsborough Town Manager, and she also invited Todd Wirt, OCS Superintendent. Bonnie Hammersley apologized on behalf of staff for not getting the retreat agenda to the Board until tonight. 10. County Attorney's Report John Roberts said on January 91h the Legislature met for their organizational meeting, and set a January 31 st reconvene date. He said the Legislature also set a deadline date for filing local bills of March 6th for the House, and February 27th for the Senate. He said the BOCC's Legislative Breakfast is not until March 11th. He said the first Legislative Issues Work Group meeting will occur tomorrow, and if any Commissioners have local bill needs to please communicate with the representatives to this work group: Commissioners Price and Dorosin. 11. *Appointments a. Chapel Hill Orange County Visitors Bureau —Appointments The Board considered making appointments to the Chapel Hill Orange County Visitors Bureau. A motion was made by Commissioner Bedford, seconded by Commissioner Dorosin to appoint the following to the Chapel Hill Orange County Visitors Bureau: • Position 1 Dr. Rachel Schaevitz for the At-Large Chapel Hill Town Council for a 1st Full Term ending 12/31/2021. • Position 4 Tanya Moore for UNC — Chapel Hill for a 1st Full Term ending 12/31/2021. • Position 8 Andrew Strickland O/C Lodging Association for a 2nd Full Term ending 12/31/2021. • Position 11 Mark Sherburne O/C Lodging Association for a 2nd Full Term ending 12/31/2021. • Position 16 Libbie Hough At-Large for a 1st Full Term ending 12/31/2021. VOTE: UNANIMOIUS b. Orange County Parks and Recreation Council —Appointments The Board considered making appointments to the Orange County Parks and Recreation Council. A motion was made by Commissioner Price, seconded by Commissioner Dorosin to appoint the following to the Orange County Parks and Recreation Council: • Position 7 for Kim Manturuk - Chapel Hill Township for a Partial Term ending 03/31/2020. • Position 11 for Gina Reyman - Eno Township for a First Full Term ending 12/31/2021. VOTE: UNANIMOUS A motion was made by Commissioner Greene, seconded by Commissioner Marcoplos to appoint Amanda Argan to position 3 — Cedar Grove Township with an expiration date of 3/31/2021 (because this position has been vacant for more than 6 months and the BOCC have 26 a policy that states if a position has been vacant for more than 6 months, then the Board can fill it with any applicant on the interest listing). VOTE: UNANIMOUS Commissioner Price said that she knows of a resident that will be applying for the other vacant position — Cheeks Township (which has also been vacant for more than 6 months) and she would like the Board's consideration of not filling this position at this time until the applicant that she knows from Cheek's Township has a chance to apply. The Board agreed by consensus. c. Orange Unified Transportation Board —Appointments The Board will consider making appointments to the Orange Unified Transportation Board. A motion was made by Commissioner Marcoplos, seconded by Commissioner Greene to appoint the following to the Orange Unified Transportation Board: (Art Menius (current Chair) has recently moved to Little River Township. The Little River Township position is currently vacant. Given the difficulty in finding applicants in some rural areas, the recommendation has been made to move Art Menius to the Little River Position and fill his current At-Large position with a BOCC appointee.) • Position 7 BOCC Appointment—Todd Jones- At-Large for a 1 st Full Term ending 09/30/202. • Position 8 for Art Menius - Little River Township to Fulfill his 2nd term as Little River Township Rep. VOTE: UNANIMOUS 12. Information Items • December 18, 2018 BOCC Meeting Follow-up Actions List • Tax Collector's Report— Numerical Analysis • Tax Collector's Report— Measure of Enforced Collections • Tax Assessor's Report— Releases/Refunds under $100 • Memorandum - Update Regarding Pat Sanford Animal Welfare Grant • Memorandum - Land Management Central Permitting Software (LMCPS) Status/Update 13. Closed Session A motion was made by Commissioner Dorosin, seconded by Commissioner McKee to adjourn into closed session at 9:57 p.m. for the following purpose: "Pursuant to G.S. § 143-318.11(a)(3) "to consult with an attorney retained by the Board in order to preserve the attorney-client privilege between the attorney and the Board." VOTE: UNANIMOUS RECONVENE INTO REGULAR SESSION 27 A motion was made by Commissioner McKee, seconded by Commissioner Dorosin to reconvene into regular session at 10:15 p.m. VOTE: UNANIMOUS 14. Adjournment A motion was made by Commissioner McKee, seconded by Commissioner Price to adjourn the meeting at 10:15 p.m. VOTE: UNANIMOUS Penny Rich, Chair Donna Baker Clerk to the Board