HomeMy WebLinkAboutAPB minutes 051519 Orange County Agricultural Preservation Board
Approved Meeting Summary: May 15th, 2019
Environmental &Agricultural Center—Food Lab
306 Revere Rd., Hillsborough, NC
7:30 p.m.
Members Present: Anderson, Compton, Dawson, McAdams, McKnight, McPherson, R. Parker, Ranells, Redding,
Saiers, Shambley, and Vanhook
Members Absent: Finley,Woods,A. Parker
Guests: Bonnie Hammersley, Orange Co. Manager; Mike Lanier, Cooperative Extension; Bob Marotto, Director,
Animal Services; Cooper Hatch, Program Coordinator,Animal Services
Staff: David Stancil, Director DEAPR; Gail Hughes, Resource Conservation Coordinator-DEAPR-Orange Soil and
Water; Peter Sandbeck, Cultural Resources Coordinator; Mike Ortosky, Ag Economic Development Coordinator
1. Call to order: Chair McPherson called the meeting to order at 7:31 p.m.
2. Chair Comments/Introductions: Chair McPherson recognized the guests.
3. Considerations of Additions to Agenda: None
4. Meeting Summary/Minutes: March 20`", 2019 (Attachment 1):Vanhook moved to accept the
minutes/summary; seconded by McAdams; motion carried.
5. Discussion Items:
a) Orange County Agricultural Trust Fund Proposal (Attachment 2): Dawson reviewed the highlights of
the proposal discussed at the March meeting.This is supported by the Food Council and the APB. He
noted that the farmers are the ones who maintain green space and protect the watersheds from
development in Orange County. Farmland places less demand on county services and thus is good
for the county budget: costs 70 cents per dollar of tax collected versus$1.25 for developed land that
requires full services. The funds generated by this proposal are collected when land goes out of farm
use.This program could partner with the Lands Legacy/Ag Conservation Easement and Ag Grant
programs, and thus would channel funds into these two existing programs that are already
operating very effectively; no new staff needed. County Manager Hammersley responded that the
county already provides support through these two programs. Right now the recaptured Present
Use Value funds now go into the general fund.That amount in essence already supports the
county's ag programs but is not directly allocated to those programs.The proposed new County
budget already requires a tax increase to cover a projected deficit of$2.8 million.A large part of the
budget shortfall comes from the loss of impact fees from developers,which is nearly$3 million.This
is a good idea but the resources are not currently available. The BOCC showed support for the Food
Council by establishing the new coordinator position to be funded by the county and the towns. She
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could not presently recommend this to the BOCC due to the present tax increase proposals.
Discussion followed.This idea should remain under consideration. Looking ahead, the budget
process begins around December before the June adoption date. Department directors,through the
functional leadership team, develop budget proposals through a team process. The trust fund
proposal could be brought forward in next year's budget by DEAPR. Remember if it requires an
additional expenditure,then a funding source will be required. Present Use recapture could be
targeted as a funding source, but we have to remember that this revenue is already being relied on
for other county expenditures, so new money would have to be found somewhere else to offset.
The APB can ask DEAPR to initiate a budget request late this fall so that it gets to her by February.
6. Items for Decision:
a) New VAD/EVAD Applications(Attachment 2): Hughes presented the current applications listed
below.All of these farms meet the requirements/criteria for VAD/EVAD enrollment.
• McKee Family(Virginia McKee and Heirs): 162.28 acres for VAD, Caldwell Ag District. The farm
is in cattle, hayland, small grains and managed woodland. Redding moved to approve, seconded
by Compton; motion carried.
• Mark Miller: 177.74 acres for VAD, Caldwell Ag District. The farm is in pasture, beef cattle and
hayland. McAdams moved to approve, seconded by Vanhook; motion carried.
Hughes reported that with approval of these farms,this will bring us up to 15,059 acres in VAD and
EVAD. Farms approved tonight and those from the March meeting will go to the BOCC on June 41n
7. Informational Items/Future Agenda Items:
a. Presentation by Animal Services staff regarding the Working Cats program: Bob Marotto and
Cooper Hatch presented an update on this program.They have had good success, much of it by
word of mouth. At one farm they captured almost 60 cats over a period of time, spayed/neutered
them, gave vaccinations and microchips, then returned them to the farm.They continue to receive
grants and donations to fund this effort.They continue to look for opportunities to work with
farmers and landowners to continue this effort.They can provide the traps so that the owners can
bring them in for spaying/neutering. By returning cats to their original locations, they can prevent
new colonies of cats from forming. Hatch passed out information about the program.This approach
does not immediately reduce the population, but is intended over time to reduce the number of
free roaming cats.This will get those numbers down in the long run.This also allows us to provide
vaccinations and better rabies protection over the long term.
b. Membership: Several members were asked if they would serve second terms. Please let staff know.
We are looking for applicants for two at-large positions and one for Cane Creek-Buckhorn VAD.
Discussion followed. Staff asked members to think hard about folks they know who might be
interested/eligible,for both types of position. Ranells suggested that staff could send a letter to all
the VAD farmers in a given district to let them know we are looking for a new member from that
district. Members endorsed that idea. Hughes has email addresses so staff will proceed to do this.
8. Time for Information Sharing: Ortosky reported that the Ag Economic Development grant program is
recommended for funding at the$100,000 level; next deadline for applications is June 30. McPherson
and Ranells stated how much they had enjoyed serving on the APB as they retire off.
9. Adjournment: Meeting adjourned at 8:58 pm.