HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 11-07-2019 Regular Meeting1
APPROVED 12/2/2019 MINUTES
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
REGULAR MEETING
November 7, 2019
7:00 p.m.
The Orange County Board of Commissioners met in regular session on Thursday, November
7, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. at the Whitted Human Services Center 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 Deputy Clerk Sherri Ingersoll (All other staff members will be identified
appropriately below.)
Chair Rich called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Chair Rich congratulated Tuesday’s election winners, and thanked all who put their
name in to run.
1. Additions or Changes to the Agenda
Chair Rich noted the following items at the Commissioners’ places:
6-a - PowerPoint presentation
Petition regarding Swim for Charlie
Closed session item added
“To discuss matters related to the location or expansion of industries or other
businesses in the area served by the public body, including agreement on a tentative list
of economic development incentives that maybe offered by the public body’s negotiations”
NCGS 143-318.11(a)(4)
A motion was made by Commissioner McKee, seconded by Commissioner Greene for
the Board to add the Closed Session item.
VOTE: UNANIMOUS
PUBLIC CHARGE
Chair Rich acknowledged the public charge.
Arts Moment
Tinka Jordy, Arts Commission member, introduced the artist:
Arshia Simkin is a graduate of North Carolina State University’s MFA in Creative Writing
program. She writes stories about her Pakistani heritage and about contemporary American
society. Prior to attending NC State’s MFA program, she was a staff attorney at a legal aid firm
in upstate New York, where she represented survivors of domestic violence. Currently, she is
the co-founder of the Redbud Writing Project, the Triangle’s only adult education creative writing
school, which offers six-week courses in memoir, fiction, and poetry.
Arshia Simkin read an excerpt from the Redbud Writing Project called Baby Talk.
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2. Public Comments
a. Matters not on the Printed Agenda
Riley Ruske said nine weeks ago, he petitioned the Board of County Commissioners
(BOCC) to recite the Pledge of Allegiance at the beginning of each meeting. He said in a few
days, veterans will be recognized, who have pledged their lives and allegiance to this country.
He asked if it is too difficult to do this act of patriotism, and invited the people in the room to
stand, remove their caps, and join him in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, which people did.
He asked if there is a reason that the BOCC cannot agree to this simple act.
Jonathan Klein said he is present to speak about the Swim for Charlie endeavor. He
said he has served on the Board of Health, and serves as the Chair of Swim for Charlie. He
said Charlie was his friend, and his death was the impetus for this program, which sponsors
youth-based water safety programs. He said it coordinates with the schools to bring 2nd grade
students to the Sportsplex to learn about water safety. He said Guilford County has gained
support with its program, which consists of eight 45-minute sessions. He said the first classes
will be for around 250 students at Efland Cheeks, Central and New Hope Elementary Schools
starting in the spring of 2020, with the goal of expansion throughout the county and region in
the coming years.
Meg Pomerantz said she supports this water initiative. She said she is the Executive
Director of Girls on the Run, serving girls in grade 3-8, and has seen firsthand how these
types of initiatives can affect lives. She said she was the “swim test lady” at UNC for many
years, and still has past students tell her of the impact of this on their lives. She said teaching
a 7-year old is easier than teaching an adult, and generally children learn through swimming
lessons provided through the support of their parents, but not everyone has this opportunity.
She said the program’s goal is to make children safer in the water, and studies have shown
that formal swimming lessons reduce child drowning by 80%. She said she is confident these
programs will help children in the community to be safer.
Jim Tucker said he is a 22-year resident of Orange County, and he learned to swim at
age 3.5 years, when encouraged by his grandmother, because she lost her brother to
drowning. He said this type of program can help create great family memories. He said he
understands how public/private initiatives can start, and this program is starting with three
schools and with the Board’s help, would like to expand, school by school. He also petitioned
the County to fund a full rental waiver during the day to get the program off the ground for the
spring 2020.
Seamus O’Neill said he supports the petition to open BOCC meetings with the Pledge
of Allegiance. He said he grew up in the Bronx, New York, an area that was very diverse with
a lot of immigrants, and many different cultures, seeking a safe place to grow their families.
He said despite these differences, all community meetings started with the Pledge or the
national anthem, which everyone supported. He asked the Board to act positively upon this
request.
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 Bedford said that the Town of Chapel Hill and Chapel Hill Carrboro City
Schools (CHCCS) have an agreement with local pools to support Special Olympics and other
programs, so perhaps the County could look to them regarding the Swim for Charlie program.
Commissioner Bedford referred to the reported lack of diversity on the Climate Action
Committee, and asked if this was being addressed. She petitioned to reexamine the list of
appointments to add diversity to this committee.
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Commissioner Marcoplos said a list of roster spots was sent out to the agencies and
governments across the County, who, in turn, made the appointments. He said there was
some diversity at the first meeting, and all entities are very concerned with diversity, and the
word has been put out there.
Chair Rich asked if Commissioner Bedford received the draft minutes from the last
meeting, and if Sherri Ingersoll could send them to Commissioner Bedford.
Commissioner Bedford said Governor Cooper gave an Executive Order in April
banning questions by state agencies on pay history. She petitioned to review Orange
County’s HR practices and policy on this matter, and consider changes if those types of
questions are being asked.
Commissioner Bedford said she attended the recent Cardinal Innovations (CI) Board
meeting, and they are reorganizing as a five county Central Region Health Council, and there
will be a local Orange County community council. She said one must apply by November 24
for a seat, if interested. She requested that the County administration promote this need, and
possibly ask CI to extend the deadline for the local Orange County advisory council
application process, to encourage better participation.
Commissioner McKee said he would like to echo the comments to those who ran, and
congratulate those who won the election.
Commissioner Marcoplos said the commuter rail project study is to be completed by
the end of the year, and in January the committee expects to have some questions answered,
and the study will be able to shed some light on which configurations look best. He said the
Hillsborough extension might be in the first phase to go to Mebane, or possibly towards
Johnston County. He said he is on the GoTriangle negotiating committee with the NC
railroad, and one of its goals is to get early commitments on the division of responsibilities,
and the timetable for agreements.
Commissioner Marcoplos said he went to the Regional Transportation Alliance (RTA)
event on bus rapid transit. He said several groups discussed the challenges of this in various
regions, and shared information, which is available on the RTA website. He said RTA has a
map that shows bus transit across the State, and one of the maps was for NC 54. He said
the Board will need to look ahead to the primaries, and see how transit can be extended to
get voters to the polls.
Commissioner Marcoplos said he also attended the recent Solid Waste Advisory
Group (SWAG) meeting, where they discussed organic recycling options and a possible
textile-recycling program.
Commissioner Price thanked all who put together the Farm to School tour. She said it
was a great opportunity to allow children to understand agriculture and the environment. She
said she also attended a tour of the Chapel Hill High School renovations, which was very
exciting. She reminded everyone of the upcoming Veterans Day programs, including the
Saturday grappling tournament, and Monday’s Veterans memorial program with David Price.
Commissioner Price congratulated all who ran and won elections. She said she spoke
with the Board of Elections, who will have a meeting on 12/5 to decide on the hours for
weekend voting for the 2020 primaries.
Commissioner Dorosin said he would like to follow up on his petition about universal
pre-K. He said the Board’s colleagues in Durham are moving ahead with this program, and
Orange County can learn a lot about this from them. He said Durham is investing in training,
certifications, technical assistance, and funding with their program, and are considering it an
economic development program for minority-owned businesses.
Chair Rich said this topic was discussed at Agenda Review, and the plan is to discuss
this with Durham.
Commissioner Greene said she also enjoyed the tour of the Chapel Hill High School
construction, and the garden tour, and thanked the Orange County Food Council for putting
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this on. She said there is a part-time coordinator assigned to this project to make certain
things work together. She said three commissioners attended the school public meeting
about the districting plan, and there was lots of discussion about communication and needs.
Commissioner Greene said she attended a meeting sponsored by the Visitors’ Center,
where someone spoke about what the Visitors Bureau could do to expand its tourism efforts.
She said sporting events vastly outweigh everything else. She said today was “Big Ideas”
day at the Chapel Hill Chamber of Commerce.
Chair Rich said she would like to see a response to her request about the census
efforts. She said the Daily Tar Heel reported on this, and it would be good for the Board to be
able to discuss and provide input.
Chair Rich referred to the issue of needing transportation for voting, and said there is
a possibility of putting a satellite office in Chapel Hill for the Board of Elections (BOE), as IDs
will be needed for the 2020 election. She said the BOE in Hillsborough will provide a free ID,
but it can be hard for people to get to Hillsborough. She said the next election is March 3,
2020. She said the Board of Elections website was quirky for this election, and it was difficult
to find information, and the state website went down. She said March is going to be
confusing, and this process must be simplified.
Chair Rich said she went to the Wealth Gap Conference, and the income achievement
gap was a prominent topic, especially related to schools. She said the Board must be mindful
of its policies, and getting the desired outcomes. She said there is a great disparity of funding
per student across the state.
Chair Rich said she received a call regarding the creation of a high school for trades,
and asked if there was an update on this idea. She said 8% of East Chapel Hill High students
will not go to college, and she wants to see this idea fully researched.
Chair Rich said she gets a number of calls about school funding, and she and Mark
Marcoplos had a meeting with Paul Laughton, Finance and Administrative Services, to get a
budget booster shot. She passed out a page from the budget regarding the Phillips Middle
School water infiltration problem, as an example. She said this item was in the Board’s
budget ($175,000), but the problem was not fixed. She said overall, the schools’ Capital
Investment Plan (CIP) is $34 million, and she petitioned for the Board to get a quarterly report
from the schools on when and how maintenance is being done and completed.
Commissioner Marcoplos said it is good idea to know this type of information, as the
County budgeted the money, but it was not utilized for the budgeted need. He said the Board
could share this information with the public. He said this money is negotiated between the
schools and the County, to meet as many needs as possible.
Commissioner Dorosin clarified that the schools asked for, and were given the money,
and asked if the schools have just not yet done the work
Chair Rich said it is unsure, and that is why she is petitioning for the quarterly
maintenance report. She said receipts come in from the schools, and the County transfers
money to the schools, but it is unclear if the maintenance is actually being done. She said it
is not for the County to decide on how the money is spent; it provides money to the schools,
and the schools decide how to use the money.
Commissioner Dorosin said it is unclear, and the money still may be used to fix this
problem. He asked if once the money is given to the schools, if the schools can prioritize its
spending.
Chair Rich said that is correct, and the money can be moved around as deemed
appropriate by the schools.
Commissioner Bedford said, when she took the tour of Chapel Hill High School, the
contractors said they were already working on the Phillips problem, which is complex.
Chair Rich said it is a storm water mitigation problem.
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Commissioner Bedford said the School Board spent close to $1 million for this type of
work when she was on the School Board, but it is an ongoing problem and more money will
probably be needed.
Chair Rich said this petition is to better understand what is happening, and have
accurate information to share with the public.
Commissioner Dorosin asked if the Board receives a report of what was actually spent
at the end of the year.
Paul Laughton said the information received, as part of the budget process, is not to
that level of itemization. He said the schools show the actual expenses by purpose, but do
not give specific detail of projects.
4. Proclamations/ Resolutions/ Special Presentations
a. Family Caregivers Month and Caregiver Day of Care Proclamation
The Board considered voting to approve a proclamation designating November 9, 2019
as Orange County’s Caregiver Day of Care, and recognizing November 2019 as Family
Caregivers Month.
BACKGROUND: November is National Family Caregivers Month, an observance that began as
National Family Caregivers Week in the mid-1990s. Former President Bill Clinton signed the
first National Family Caregivers Month Presidential Proclamation in 1997, and every president
since has followed suit by issuing an annual proclamation recognizing and honoring family
caregivers each November. The importance of family caregivers has gained recognition over
the years, and the National Family Caregivers awareness week has grown into an awareness
month due to former President Barack Obama’s proclamation in 2012.
Family caregivers fulfill a variety of roles. In addition to becoming experts about their loved ones’
health, they act as liaisons with healthcare providers, insurance companies, and legal and
financial entities. They prepare meals, perform housekeeping duties, transportation and hygiene
duties, and often provide very sophisticated care, including managing complex medication
schedules. Caregivers sometimes deal with problem behaviors, and offer socialization for those
suffering from long-term illnesses. At this time of year, with holidays approaching, families are
often overwhelmed by emotional distress as they cope with losses and memories of past times.
Family caregivers who care (mostly) at home for loved ones with debilitating, long-term health
conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, often do so with little to no
information or training. The Orange County Department on Aging aims to change that by
providing several programs and services catered to family caregivers by appreciating the hard
work they tirelessly do.
In honor of National Family Caregivers Month, the Department on Aging will hold its first annual
Caregiver’s Day of Care event on November 9, 2019 at the Seymour Center from 10 a.m. – 2
p.m., in an effort to honor family caregivers for caring selflessly for loved-ones. Staff hopes this
day of care will provide needed respite for family caregivers, while enabling attendees to
engage in wellness, education and supportive services.
The Department of Aging recognizes that family caregivers are truly the backbone of their
families and communities. Many however are under great stress and do not always have
the information they need when taking responsibility for a loved one’s care. This November,
the Department is proud to offer a variety of caregiving related programs and services for
individualized and community caregivers, which include:
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• Special designation in the Senior Times publication for activities and events geared
towards supporting caregivers;
• A Care Partner Collaborative respite co-op group;
• Caregiver Support groups;
• Dementia Education Collaborative;
• Trainings for community partners and individuals;
• Memory Cafés;
• In-home caregiver assistance;
• Options Counseling;
• Memory Screenings; and
• A Caregiver monthly E-Newsletter.
For many years the Orange County Board of Commissioners has issued proclamations for older
adults throughout Orange County. If approved, this will be the first year the Board joins with the
Federal and State governments in designating the month of November as Family Caregivers
Month as a time to honor family caregivers and care partners for their tireless work in service to
their loved ones and as the unsung heroes of both their families and communities.
Janice Tyler, Director on Aging, said this will be the first time the County has
celebrated National Caregivers Month. She introduced Sheila Evans, who represents over
20,000 caregivers across the county.
Sheila Evans said several years ago her husband developed dementia, and she had
to retire to take care of him. She said she got through this journey through a support group
she attended with her husband at the Seymour Center; adult day care; and by becoming part
of the Project Engage program to teach seniors to become leaders in the community. She
said through that program, she received support and learned about resources. She said the
Senior Center has a program that gives people a way to try out medical equipment. She said
she received some respite and medical services for herself and her husband, and the
incredible support she received through the Seymour Center helped her through her journey,
and now she is able to help others get the resources they need.
Janice Tyler read the proclamation:
ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROCLAMATION
FAMILY CAREGIVERS MONTH – NOVEMBER 2019
“CAREGIVER DAY OF CARE” – NOVEMBER 9, 2019
WHEREAS, Orange County estimates suggest there are more than 20,000 family caregivers in
Orange County; and
WHEREAS, Orange County recognizes that making time for yourself and family protects a
family caregiver’s own health, strengthens family relationships, prevents burnout and can
enable a care recipient to stay at home up to three times longer. The chance to take a breather
and re-energize is vital in order for one to be as good a caregiver tomorrow as you were today;
and
WHEREAS, Orange County understands 6 out of 10 family caregivers juggle everyday life
tasks, such as preparing children for school, managing household responsibilities, and working
full or part-time, and as vital members of care teams, have the responsibility of advocating for
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their loved ones and making decisions that lead to the best care outcomes, whether it be for an
older adult with Alzheimer’s or related dementia or living with a chronic condition; and
WHEREAS, National Family Caregivers Month – celebrated each November – is a time to
recognize and honor family caregivers across the country, and celebrating Family Caregivers
during National Family Caregivers Month enables all of us to:
• Raise awareness of family caregiver issues;
• Celebrate the efforts of family caregivers;
• Educate family caregivers about supportive resources; and
• Increase support for family caregivers;
NOW THEREFORE, we, the Orange County Board of Commissioners, do hereby proclaim
November 2019 as Family Caregivers Month in Orange County, recognize a Caregiver Day of
Care on November 9, 2019, and urge Orange County residents to take time this month to
recognize family caregivers as the unsung heroes of our families and community.
This, the 7th day of November, 2019.
A motion was made by Commissioner Bedford, seconded by Commissioner Greene
for the Board to approve a proclamation designating November 2019 as Family Caregivers
Month and November 9, 2019 as Orange County’s Caregiver Day of Care, and authorized the
Chair to sign it.
VOTE: UNANIMOUS
5. Public Hearings
None
6. Regular Agenda
a. NC 54 West Corridor Study – Phase 2
The Board received a presentation on the NC 54 West Corridor Study from VHB and
had the opportunity to provide comments and consider endorsing the Technical Committee
recommendations.
BACKGROUND: The NC 54 corridor study was started in September 2017 by the Durham-
Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (DCHC MPO) and North Carolina
Department of Transportation (NCDOT). The study area is from Old Fayetteville Road in
Carrboro west to the I-85/I-40 interchange in Graham. It includes Burlington-Graham
Metropolitan Planning Organization (BG MPO) and Triangle Area Rural Planning Organization
(TARPO). VHB is the consultant assigned to the study and they completed the final report in
November 2018, with every member jurisdiction participating in the consultant’s and MPO’s
public process. A copy of the full report is available online at www.nc54west.com/Report. The
final recommendations serve to identify projects for consideration in the future Strategic
Prioritization of Transportation (SPOT) processes.
The NC-54 west corridor covers multiple local jurisdictions and regional transportation planning
agencies. A breakdown of each jurisdiction and agency is provided below and in Attachment 1.
• By local jurisdiction
o Graham 1.7 miles 8% (does not include ETJ)
o Swepsonville 1.2 miles 6% (does not include ETJ)
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o Alamance County 7.3 miles 35%
o Orange County 8.6 miles 42%
o Carrboro 1.8 miles 9% (includes ETJ)
Total 20.6 miles 100%
• By MPO/RPO
o BG MPO 10.2 miles 50%
o TARPO 5.8 miles 28%
o DCHC MPO 4.6 miles 22%
Total 20.6 miles 100%
The primary recommendation of the study is the widening of NC 54 from NC 119 in Alamance
County to Old Fayetteville Street in Carrboro to four lanes with a median and sidepath for
bicycle and pedestrian travel. The study also recommends installing several roundabouts along
the corridor to improve traffic flow and safety at major intersections. If the MPO Board were to
adopt the study, staff would then implement the recommendations by working with NCDOT to
develop a project for the widening of NC 54, which would include recommending local points for
such a project in SPOT.
On November 1, 2018, the BOCC received a presentation on the NC 54 West Corridor Study
from Orange County Transportation Planning staff, which also included the Orange Unified
Transportation Board’s (OUTBoard) comments. All comments were addressed at the November
14, 2018 DCHC MPO Public Hearing.
On February 5, 2019, the BOCC approved NC 54 West as a County Priority for consideration in
DCHC MPO and Triangle Area Rural Planning Organization (TARPO) Strategic Prioritization of
Transportation (SPOT) process. An update on the corridor was provided to BOCC August 3,
2019.
In February 2019, Carrboro - through the DCHC MPO - requested VHB review and confirm
Phase 1 conclusions through a phase 2 study to analyze trends and forecasts, transit
alternatives as mentioned in the final report, widening impact on local roads, and other
improvements not on NC 54. VHB will present the results of the Phase 2 analysis (Attachment
(2). The following is a highlight of the findings:
Trends and forecasts were confirmed through StreetLight data. This is a subscription
based third party cellphone data collection company that assists in the analysis of trips.
Adopted DCHC MPO Transportation Regional Model was deemed conservative in
comparison to StreetLight.
It is a supplement to the original Final Report. All recommendations are carried forward,
including bike/ped and transit.
All transit service providers were actively involved in the process, 3 additional park-and-
ride lots in Orange County have been added to the recommendations.
Inclusion of a shared use path is optional and subject to NCDOT’s new Complete
Streets Policy.
The MPO will consider taking action on the Study on November 13, 2019 following a public
hearing. Transportation planning staff, in coordination with Orange County Community
Relations, issued a public notice of all public meetings on the County website. No comments
were received for Orange County. Two local jurisdictions have taken separate action on the
study:
• Graham City Council – November 6, 2018 – unanimously approved the study
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Carrboro Board of Aldermen – October 15, 2019 – Unconditional rejection of Phase 1 (Old
Fayetteville Road to Dodson Crossroads) recommendations.
TARPO and BG MPO are working with local jurisdictions as they address their unique priorities.
Those entities will take action on the study only after local jurisdictions have considered their
portion of it. Orange County has prioritized the corridor to address multimodal, congestion,
safety and mobility for all users. It has also submitted the project - NC-54 Improvements: Widen
NC-54 from Orange Grove Rd to Old Fayetteville Road with multimodal facilities - to TARPO for
SPOT consideration. However, the County has not taken formal action on the study
The County priority cannot be considered for SPOT in DCHC MPO as it is not in the adopted
2045 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP). DCHC MPO must adopt the study in order to
pursue local input points for its portion of the corridor.
OUTBoard Comments - October 16, 2019:
The following comments were provided by the OUTBoard:
Include more information on technology and/or Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) at
intersections and along the road.
Include more information on bike/ped safety along the corridor.
Include more information on how to prevent or manage caterpillering – bumper to
bumper traffic along the road, (e.g. managing speed).
A summary of all comments and responses have been collected (Attachment 3). This includes
Orange County Transportation Planning staff, DCHC MPO Technical Committee, Carrboro
Board of Alderman, Chapel Hill Town Council, and comments from an October 24th public
meeting in Carrboro.
DCHC MPO Technical Committee (TC) Recommendation - October 23, 2019:
The DCHC MPO TC recommended the DCHC MPO Board receive the study, proceed with
safety improvements along the corridor using information from the study, and that the local
jurisdictions work together with DCHC MPO to identify future roadway improvements.
Nishith Trivedi, Transportation Planner II, introduced Donald Bryson from VHB, who
gave the following presentation:
Donald Bryson said this study was completed among various agencies:
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Donald Bryson said this study tried to quantify the tradeoffs. He resumed the
presentation:
Donald Bryson said the study looked at things from the long-term perspective, taking into
account any short-term fixes that occurred. He resumed the presentation:
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Donald Bryson said that there is faster growth on the Alamance side, which is still
increasing. He resumed the presentation:
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Donald Bryson said that there is information available on Google to see who uses 54.
He resumed the presentation:
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Donald Bryson said the question arises as to what difference would exist if the road were
widened. He resumed the presentation:
Donald Bryson said the study shows that there could be heavy usage in this area near
Alamance County, and there could be standing room only. He said the problem is that there is
not much density along the area. He resumed the presentation:
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Donald Bryson said the study shows there are around 700 to 1,400 people employed by
UNC or the Hospital who live in this region, which is not a lot for public transit. He resumed the
presentation:
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Commissioner Price said the studies seem to focus on increasing the number of cars,
but TARPO and the MPO have had discussions about how to reduce the number of cars and
increase public transit. She said these seem be in conflict, and asked if this was looked into via
the study.
Donald Bryson said this was reviewed as best as it could be, but in a rural area there is
not much dense development and it is difficult to get enough people to use alternative
transportation.
Commissioner Price asked if providing a Park-and-Ride from Alamance would be
helpful.
Donald Bryson said it would be helpful, but there are many different destinations in the
area, and it does not look like it would be enough to do this in the time frame being considered.
Commissioner Price said it sounds like widening the road will lead to people using it
more.
Donald Bryson said it is not about creating trips, but rather is about helping trips use this
corridor instead of finding alternative rural routes. He said, in terms of safety, a four-lane road is
much safer. He said some of the intersection improvements will help the side roads, and relieve
some of the congestion, but the traffic is just a shift.
Commissioner Marcoplos said there are several populated areas in White Cross and, in
thinking about Park-and-Ride, it may be worth a pilot project by Dodson’s Crossroads or White
Cross. He said there may not be enough ridership to utilize buses, but possibly carpooling,
especially on Carolina game days, would be beneficial. He said a bus may actually be
warranted on game days, as so many people travel that direction.
Donald Bryson said an inexpensive Park-and-Ride could be put out there, but a bus
service would be expensive due to the distance being 10 miles, and the majority of the
population being on the lower end. He said there is a breakpoint in the numbers where it makes
sense, and perhaps at a trailhead in the future.
Commissioner Marcoplos said he appreciates the Orange Grove Road improvements,
which have helped with the congestion.
Commissioner Dorosin referred to the slide about cross sections, which includes a
median that help to cut down on access, and if there will be left turn lanes to make U-turns.
Donald Bryson said the major intersections would have U-turns, as well as breaks
between the major intersections, which would not have to be signalized.
Commissioner Dorosin asked if the turn lane would be taken out of the median.
Donald Bryson said yes.
Commissioner Dorosin asked if there is a bike/ped path on one side or on both sides.
Donald Bryson said this is hard to do and expensive, and probably unwarranted to put
on both sides. He said it seems to work better on the north side for Orange County, and shift to
the south side in Alamance County.
Commissioner Dorosin clarified that one would need to be able to safely cross 54.
Commissioner Greene asked if there are reasons to justify curb and gutter.
Donald Bryson said there are some areas that already have clusters of parking near the
road, and curb and gutter helps save the parking.
Commissioner Greene said she does not want to introduce curb and gutter in rural
areas.
Donald Bryson said it would only be in the areas where there are already businesses
with parking.
Chair Rich asked if changing the road will affect stormwater flow with pervious versus
impervious surfaces.
Donald Bryson said that is a problem, and one of the tradeoffs to consider.
Chair Rich asked if there is a method for people to cross the street currently.
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Donald Bryson said people try to avoid it. He said the study showed minimal bike and
pedestrian activity. He said there have not been many pedestrian or bike crashes, because
people avoid the area; but when crashes do occur, they are serious, with some fatalities.
Commissioner McKee asked if crossings would be placed outside of signalized
intersections.
Donald Bryson said no; crossings would be at specialized, signaled crossings only.
Damon Seils, Carrboro Mayor Pro Tem, said staff agrees with this recommendation, and
both DCHC-MPO and Carrboro support the recommendation to receive the report, carry on with
the safety improvements and encourage local jurisdictions to collaborate more toward solutions.
He said Carrboro is not in favor of widening 54 west of town, as it impacts watersheds and
residential properties. He said Carrboro has received the same presentation, and will have a
resolution next week.
Chair Rich said comments were also made and received at the MPO meeting.
Nisthith Trivedi discussed the Manager’s recommendation.
A motion was made by Commissioner Marcoplos, seconded by Commissioner McKee to
to:
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1. Receive the presentation, Draft NC 54 West Study Final Report and Phase 2 outlined in
Attachment 1;and
2. Endorse the DCHC-MPO Technical Committee recommendation that the DCHC-MPO
Board receive the study, proceed with safety improvements along the corridor using
information from the study, and that the local jurisdictions (including participation by
TARPO) work together with DCHC-MPO to identify future roadway improvements
Commissioner Dorosin asked if widening is still on the table.
Damon Seils said Carrboro’s recommendation is that the BOCC receive the report, but
not adopt it. He said widening is still being considered, and the study offers a ton of
information. He said Carrboro is not rejecting the work that was done, just rejecting the
recommendation of widening the road. He said there needs to be more conversation between
jurisdictions, as this involves significant resources. He said there are several safety
improvements that can be made at this time.
Commissioner Dorosin clarified that the report is not being rejected.
Damon Seils said that is correct, and Carrboro is rejecting the recommendation to widen
the road.
Chair Rich said the importance of receiving, but not adopting, the report is that the safety
changes can proceed, while further discussions take place about the other aspects of the
report.
Commissioner Dorosin asked if there are timelines in place.
Damon Seils said the MPO Board will hold a public hearing next week.
Aaron Cain, DCHC-MPO, said the next step is that the MPO staff will have information,
and be able to evaluate if projects should be put forward for state funding. He said if the report
is adopted, MPO staff would pursue funding to widen the road; but if the report is just received,
MPO staff can await further direction in March or April 2020.
Commissioner Dorosin clarified that decisions will be made in March or April 2020, as to
whether to pursue funding or not.
Aaron Cain said there is already funding for the intersection and safety improvements,
but the decision about widening would be made in the spring. He said funds are scheduled for
Right-of-Ways in the next budget year, with construction start in a few years.
Nishith Trivedi said this only relates to the section between Orange Grove Road and Old
Fayetteville Road.
Commissioner Price asked if the Burlington Graham MPO is involved.
Wannetta Mallette, Burlington Graham MPO (BGMPO), said Phase 1 of this plan was
presented a year ago. She said the BGMPO received the study, but did not take any action at
that time. She said there were a number of concerns about safety improvements from NC119
to Hwy 54, and the BGMPO is interested in looking into ideas of surrounding MPOs.
Matt Day, Triangle Area Regional Planning Organization (TARPO), said TARPO’s
decision schedule is a bit different that the MPO, with decisions being made in February. He
said widening NC 54 is on TARPO’s draft list of projects to submit for funding. He said this draft
list is open for public comment now until January 16, 2020.
Commissioner Price asked if the Burlington Graham MPO needs to be included in item
#3.
Aaron Cain said it can be; the DCHC-MPO has no objection.
Commissioner Greene said she likes the idea of collaboration, instead of making
decisions now. She said to make sure rumble strips are in the plan for safety improvements.
Aaron Cain said yes, that would take place in the engineering phase.
Commissioner Bedford asked if the impending I-40 improvements were incorporated into
this study.
Nishith Trivedi said yes, these improvements have been considered.
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VOTE: UNANIMOUS
b. Approval of a Planning Framework for Updating the Orange County Transit Plan
The Board considered voting to approve a planning framework for updating the Orange
County Transit Plan and to appoint two Commissioners to serve as representatives to the Policy
Steering Committee.
BACKGROUND: In 2012, the Board of Orange County Commissioners along with the Durham-
Chapel Hill Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization and GoTriangle adopted the Orange
County’s first comprehensive Transit Plan. This Plan was funded using a newly adopted Article
43 Half-Cent Sales Tax, and it included investments in new and expanded bus service, new
capital infrastructure projects such as the Chapel Hill North-South Bus Rapid Transit Project,
the Hillsborough Train Station, and the Durham-Orange Light Rail Project. The Plan was most
recently updated in 2017 to meet federal requirements associated with the Durham-Orange
Light Rail Project.
In March 2019, the Durham-Orange Light Rail Transit Project was discontinued. This project
was central to the Transit Plan. It was the Plan’s primary investment, represented a critical
partnership between Durham and Orange counties, and served as the transit infrastructure
around which other transit services and growth strategies were planned. In response to the
discontinuation of the light rail project, a staff team began the process of creating a potential
planning framework to create a new Orange County Transit Plan that prioritizes investments,
funds service improvements, and improves the resiliency of the public transit network.
The proposed planning framework would be led by a Policy Steering Committee composed of
two (2) Commissioners serving as Co-Chairs, and one representative each from Chapel Hill,
Carrboro, Hillsborough, and Mebane. The County and/or municipal appointees should also
represent the interests of GoTriangle and the Durham-Chapel Hill Carrboro Metropolitan
Planning Organization (DCHC-MPO).
The Policy Steering Committee would be supported by a staff team which would be led by
County staff and include representatives from the same organizations as well as staff support
from the Triangle J Council of Governments, the Triangle Area Rural Planning Organization,
and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Both the Policy Steering Committee and the staff team would provide direction and guidance to
a consulting firm responsible for analyzing data, facilitating public input processes, soliciting
feedback from specific stakeholders, and drafting the Transit Plan. The new Plan would outline
transit investment priorities through 2040. Specific consultant responsibilities detailed within a
request for qualifications would include:
Creating an overview of services and capital improvements that have been made
possible through prior iterations of the Orange County Transit Plan,
Affirming that recently adopted short range plans provide an appropriate, seamless
continuum of bus services,
Establishing a process for how improvements are prioritized, so that priorities are
understood and supported by elected officials and residents,
Identifying transit dependent populations in Orange County and strategies to serve
these populations,
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Reporting on public preferences regarding transit services and future investments,
Creating performance measurement criteria that can explain how different existing
and planned services meet community goals and preferences,
Creating a Regional Connections Opportunities assessment that examines:
o NCDOT studies and projects underway that could be modified to include a transit
component
o Remnant sections of the Durham-Orange Light Rail alignment that might still be
used as high-capacity transit corridors
o Travel market needs that link Orange County with Durham County’s resident and
business needs to build, expand, and support cross-county line transit networks.
The Plan should also examine emerging transit needs and opportunities that
cross into Alamance and Chatham counties,
Proposing year-by-year implementation recommendations for transit investments
through 2040,
Creating a risk assessment to identify potential implementation barriers for new transit
projects,
Examining transit recommendations through a racial and social justice lens, establishing
agreed upon benchmarks through which to achieve equitable outcomes,
Preparing a financially sound plan that considers the costs and benefits of debt financing
using a 20 year financial model,
Preparing all necessary maps and exhibits, and
Writing a succinct, user-friendly, easy to understand and meaningful - Final Report and
Documentation with an executive summary.
The Final Orange County Transit Plan would be approved by Orange County, GoTriangle, and
the DCHC MPO.
Travis Myren said the purpose of this item is to go from a policy perspective on the next
duration of the Orange County transit plan, which was necessitated by the discontinuation of the
light rail project. He said since this was originally proposed, the County has done numerous
things: it has increased the contribution level to the Chapel Hill north-south Bus Rapid Transit
(BRT); done a light rail study; negotiated GoTriangle Administrative costs; and is transitioning
small capital project responsibilities to County staff from GoTriangle.
Travis Myren made the following PowerPoint presentation:
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Commissioner Greene asked if Phase 1 of the Morgan Creek greenway is completed.
Travis Myren said yes, but the Greensboro Street sidewalk has not yet been done.
Commissioner McKee asked if the involved staff could be identified.
Travis Myren said staff is from the County, the DCHC-MPO, Carrboro, Chapel Hill,
Mebane, GoTriangle and Hillsborough on the Steering Committee.
Commissioner McKee asked if there are any GoTriangle Staff or transit providers on the
Steering Committee.
Travis Myren said GoTriangle staff have been included in the discussions, and will be
needed to adopt the plan.
Commissioner McKee said it is important to know and understand what the County and
its residents need, and not just consider the provider needs.
Commissioner Price clarified that the providers would not make the selections.
Travis Myren said that is correct; the BOCC, GoTriangle, and the DCHC-MPO would
need to approve the plan, and the towns do not.
Commissioner McKee said the Towns have representation, but it is County money and
thus the County has two representatives. He said his only concern would be that GoTriangle or
DCHC-MPO would have a larger say than the County.
Travis Myren said neither the GoTriangle Board, nor the DCHC-MPO Board, would have
appointed representatives.
Chair Rich said the final vote is between GoTriangle, the MPO and Orange County; the
towns are on the Steering Committee, but are not involved in the final vote.
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Commissioner Marcoplos said he is impressed with what has happened since the light
rail was discontinued, and the County has not missed a beat. He said it would be a good idea
to publicize this progress.
Travis Myren said staff has a one-page info-graphic that can be published for the public.
Commissioner Dorosin agreed, and said there is still a transit plan in place, which is
moving forward.
Chair Rich asked if this information is on the County’s website.
Travis Myren said GoTriangle has the report on its website.
Commissioner McKee said not to forget that getting to this point wasted millions, which
could have been spent on the current plan. He said it is vital not to forget this waste.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Riley Ruske said he is thankful for Commissioner McKee’s comments. He said he
understands the discussion, but does not understand the cost benefit to the residents. He said
Orange County has high taxes and fees, and threw away millions of dollars on the ill-fated light
rail system. He said there must be someone in charge, who is responsible to the taxpayers for
these expenditures.
Commissioner McKee asked for clarification on further light rail studies, as he is not
aware of any.
Travis Myren said a total of $14 million was allocated to the Chapel Hill north-south BRT,
and the Board added $8 million to its current obligation several months ago.
Commissioner McKee asked for clarification on what the County is receiving for the
$500,000 it is spending on consultant costs. He said he ran in 2010 based on the cost of
consultants. He said some consultants are invaluable, and asked if this $500,000 could be
broken down into the benefits received.
Travis Myren said $500,000 is the placeholder in the transit plan for potential consultant
services. He said the current scope is more limited, so it should cost less. He said the Board
will have a chance to approve the contract at a later time.
Commissioner Bedford referred to slide 16, item #4, and asked if the working staff is also
the MPO Technical Advisory Committee (TAC).
Travis Myren said this is different than the MPO Technical Advisory Committee. He said
the staff working group was created to make recommend changes to the transit plan, which is
related to the TAC, but not the same.
Commissioner Bedford asked if the towns’ planners were involved.
Travis Myren said the towns have representatives, and the by-laws contained a voting
rubric, which had the voting members as Orange County, Go Triangle, and the DCHC-MPO.
He said inclusion of the towns needs to be revisited, as some may be interested in being voting
members.
Commissioner Bedford asked if this will be reviewed, as a part of this plan, and the
towns could possibly be included.
Travis Myren said all towns participate in the dialogue, and there have been no major
votes as yet.
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Commissioner Bedford referred to page 2 of the abstract agenda, and said she liked that
there will be a 20-year finance horizon, depending on the recommendations. She said there
might also be other ways to ensure representation.
Chair Rich said there may end up being two members from Chapel Hill and Carrboro,
and only one from Hillsborough and Mebane, which could shift the weighting of the steering
committee.
A motion was made by Commissioner Greene, seconded by Commissioner Price for
the Board to:
1) Approve the planning framework for updating the Orange County Transit Plan; and
2) Authorize staff to proceed with implementing the planning framework and issuing
request for qualifications for consulting services as outlined in this abstract.
VOTE: UNANIMOUS
Commissioner Dorosin referred to recommendation #3, and proposed putting the Chair
on the Committee, as well as Commissioner Marcoplos, since he has been the Board’s point
person on transportation.
Commissioner McKee said he would prefer the Board not consolidate its transportation
group representation to one or two people, and would rather see it spread across the Board.
He said this would allow different perspectives to be involved.
Commissioner Dorosin referred to page 15, and thought the idea was the representation
from GoTriangle and the MPO would be achieved by the County and municipal appointments.
Chair Rich said that is correct.
Commissioner Bedford said the way it reads to her is that the towns would be included.
Commissioner McKee said he thinks it would be difficult to represent both GoTriangle
and a competing group at the same time. He said he would like to appoint people to this group
who are not currently holding any other transportation positions.
Commissioner Marcoplos asked Commissioner McKee if he has noticed competing
interests.
Commissioner McKee said not at all, but having different people can bring different
perspectives.
Commissioner Price said she is concerned that Commissioner Dorosin’s
recommendation will not provide for any additional representation from the northern part of the
County, other than Hillsborough, and there will not be representation from the a rural part of
Orange County.
Commissioner Greene said the Board represents the entire County as at large
members.
Commissioner Price said understands that, but the interests are different in the northern
part of the county.
Commissioner Bedford said she would recommend Commissioner Greene and
Commissioner Marcoplos, who have experience living in the more rural parts of the County, as
well as experience with Chapel Hill Transit.
Chair Rich said she thinks it is important for Commissioner Marcoplos to be on this
committee, as his focus and dedication is very well respected.
Commissioner Greene said she is happy to serve if called.
A motion was made by Commissioner Bedford, seconded by Commissioner Price to
appoint Commissioner Marcoplos and Commissioner Greene to serve as co-chairs of the Policy
Steering Committee.
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VOTE: UNANIMOUS
Commissioner Dorosin said it is important to be clear that the comment about the Board
spending $14 million on light rail is inaccurate.
Chair Rich said, additionally, the Board did not spend $100 million on light rail; but rather
spent 16% of $130 million.
Commissioner Dorosin said he takes objection to Commissioner McKee’s comment that
this was a waste of money. He said Duke and the State killed the light rail project, and he
thinks it was a good investment and the project would have been an invaluable asset to the
County.
Commissioner McKee said he asked about the $14 million, because he knows that was
not spent. He said he respectfully disagrees with Commissioner Dorosin, and while there was
some benefit, most of the money was wasted. He said this is his opinion.
Commissioner Greene said the Board took a calculated risk, and it was a big idea and
had a chance of success until the very end.
Commissioner McKee said that is why this iteration must address the citizen’s needs,
and must have citizen input.
Commissioner Marcoplos said he has spent a lot of time at GoTriangle Board meetings
advocating for Orange County to be a stronger participant in the triangle feature of the region,
with some success.
Commissioner McKee said he does not question this at all, and he appreciates all the work
done by Commissioner Marcoplos.
c. Application Modifications for Volunteer Advisory Boards and Commissions
The Board discussed modifications to the application for volunteer advisory boards and
commissions, consider approving a new application format, and consider holding or canceling
the November 14, 2019 regular work session.
BACKGROUND: At the October 3, 2019 regular work session, the Board expressed an interest
in making advisory boards and commissions more inclusive and improving diversity, and it was
noted that the lengthy application may be negatively impacting public response.
The Board discussed reducing the size and complexity of the application to two pages.
Proposed changes to streamline the current application are listed below:
1. Remove “Additional Questions” for Selected Boards
• ABC Board
• Durham Technical Community College Board of Trustees
• Orange County Board of Adjustment
• Orange County Equalization and Review Board
• Orange County Planning Board
• OWASA Board
2. Remove Township question (can be verified by staff by address)
3. Remove domicile in Orange County question (can be verified by address)
4. Remove “Place of employment” and “Job title”
5. Remove “Are you at least 18 years of age”
6. Remove references to fax numbers (old technology no longer used by applicants)
7. Remove categories of phones with a space for one phone number.
8. Remove “Ethics Guidelines” from application
9. Add “Age Range”
10. Add “How would your participation on this board contribute to the diversity of viewpoints?”
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An excerpt from the draft October 3rd minutes is included as Attachment 1 for reference.
If and/or when the Board approves the new application, the following next steps will need to be
implemented to switch to the new application and process. (The actions below will likely take
several weeks to accomplish.)
Information Technologies (IT) will need to format the layout of the online application.
IT will need to modify the current database fields for the additional questions.
IT will need to modify the coding for the report package presented to the BOCC for
appointments.
The Clerk’s Office will need to contact the applicants on the boards up for appointment
to get a response for the additional questions (approximately 2 – 10 applicants per
board).
Additional BOCC decision:
Does the Board wish to move forward with the November 14 regular work session as a
trial run of the new appointment discussion process, using the current application (and
not the new one)?
The Board may want to consider reviewing the current pending appointments at the November
14 regular work session, based on the original application responses.
It should be noted that:
The Board’s next regular work session will be on February 11, 2020.
February 2020 will mean some boards will wait for appointments for 6 to 9 months.
Several pending appointments are based on town recommendations.
Some appointments are re-appointments with no other applicants under consideration.
If the BOCC wishes to see the responses to the new questions for specific boards, those
appointments could be postponed by the Board until the February work session.
A future discussion topic for the Board regarding appointments is:
In 2020 there are regular work sessions in February, March and April, then a 5-month
gap to September. Do additional work sessions need to be added? Does the BOCC
want to discuss appointments in budget work sessions?
David Hunt, Deputy Clerk, said during the October 3 Work Session discussion and
subcommittee meeting, suggestions were made and staff came up with proposed modifications
to the application.
Commissioner Dorosin said the previous discussions suggested that the lengthy
application was possibly preventing people from applying. He said the overall application was
shortened, and a few questions were added to understand what an applicant can contribute in
regards to diversity. He said the desire is to get more people recommended to sit on these
boards, and they do not have to be experts.
Commissioner Price agreed.
Commissioner Bedford thanked all involved for doing this so quickly.
Commissioner Greene said she likes the application, but does not entirely agree that
background and qualifications should be overlooked, but the diversity question gives the
applicant the opportunity to explain further.
Commissioner Price asked if an applicant can attach a resume.
David Hunt said not at this time.
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Commissioner Dorosin said he is not certain that the length of the application is the
problem, and it may be more related to the larger issue of engagement and outreach,
responsibility for which falls on the County. He said having a shorter application will not
necessarily increase the number of applicants.
Chair Rich said engagement and outreach are common concerns among several local
governments.
A motion was made by Commissioner Bedford, seconded by Commissioner Price for
the Board to approving the proposed changes to the volunteer application for advisory boards
and commissions.
VOTE: UNANIMOUS
Chair Rich asked if the Board should hold the November 14 Work Session to review
applications submitted under the old format.
David Hunt said there are currently up to 10 boards and commissions awaiting
appointments.
Commissioner Price said this was discussed in the subcommittee, and since applicants
have already completed an application, it was deemed these applicants should not have to do it
again. She said the towns are ready to fill vacancies, and a delay seems inappropriate at this
time.
David Hunt said the Clerk’s Office will adapt the reporting system and modify the
database with the new questions, and will try to systematically ask current applicants to submit
the responses to these new questions.
Commissioner Marcoplos said what will help this process the most is the Board taking
the time to have a fuller discussion. He said updating the application is useful, but the
increased dialogue is most important. He supported moving ahead with appointments on the
14th.
Commissioner Dorosin said changing the application, and having fuller conversations at
work sessions, were two separate tasks. He said the Board can make the appointments using
the existing applications and having the discussion, and if it goes well, the Board can continue
this new process going forward. He said he supports moving forward on the 14th.
Chair Rich said the Board will go ahead with the November 14th Work Session. She
asked if staff should contact the applicants being considered, in order for them to answer the
new application questions.
Commissioner McKee said no, the Board should just continue.
The Board agreed by consensus.
Chair Rich acknowledged that Riley Ruske had signed up to speak on this item, but had
left the meeting.
d. Creation of a 1.0 FTE Deputy Sheriff I (School Resource Officer) Position in the
Orange County Sheriff’s Office for Assignment to Eno River Academy, and
Approval of Budget Amendment #2-A
The Board considered voting to approve the creation of a 1.0 FTE Deputy Sheriff I
(School Resource Officer) position in the Orange County Sheriff’s Office for assignment to Eno
River Academy, and approval of Budget Amendment #2-A for the acceptance of offsetting
revenues from Eno River Academy to cover the full costs of the position.
BACKGROUND: At its July 12, 2018 meeting, the Eno River Academy Board of Directors
voted unanimously to move forward with discussions with the Orange County Sheriff to place a
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School Resource Officer (SRO) on its K-12 campus. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office
currently provides a School Resource Officer Program in the Orange County Public Schools.
One deputy is assigned to each elementary and middle school, as well as to the Partnership
Academy, while two deputies are stationed at each high school. Upon approval of the position,
the Sheriff’s Office and Eno River Academy will enter into a previously reviewed and approved
Agreement.
At its June 11, 2019 Budget work session, and as part of the 2019-20 budget process, the
BOCC previously discussed the possibility of creating a 1.0 FTE Deputy Sheriff I position to
provide School Resource Officer (SRO) services at Eno River Academy. At that time, it was
proposed that Eno River Academy would provide reimbursement to the County for the 10-month
School Year associated expenditures. The minutes from that discussion detailing the Board’s
decision to not move forward with the proposal are provided at Attachment 1.
The new current request entails Eno River Academy providing reimbursement to the County
based on a full fiscal year’s (12 months) expenditures and on a Services Agreement Contract
outlining the SRO’s services and related reimbursement to the County for FY 2019-20. The
expenses for FY 2019-20 would be pro-rated based on a commencement date of November 11,
2019, and both the Sheriff and Eno River Academy would have the option at the beginning of
each future fiscal year to approve, amend or discontinue the associated Services Agreement
Contract.
The SRO would maintain the same training and certification requirements as apply to all other
certified law enforcement officers in the Sheriff’s Office and would be qualified to provide law
enforcement services in a manner consistent with customary law enforcement standards and
practices.
Lisa Bair, Executive Director of Eno River Academy (ERA), said the State charges a
school principal with the safety of the school, and she and her staff are concerned about the
safety issue. She said when one looks at the numbers and response time, versus the time it
takes for an event to happen, most of the destruction would be done before there is a response.
She said a School Resource Officer (SRO) can help the school with that opportunity. She said
a SRO is also a motivator or advocate for the students, because they are trained. She said
when one considers social equity, all schools have the right to safety. She said her school will
put up 100% of the funds if the County will approve the position.
Mike O’Malley, Vice Chair ERA Board of Directors, said school safety is not taken lightly,
and ERA is willing to work collaboratively with the Sheriff’s Department to keep all kids safe.
Amy Simonson, ERA Community At-Large Board member, said it is important to connect
the community and the school in positive ways. She said SROs are a fundamental member of
the community, and having one at ERA is highly supported by the school. She said ERA has
agreed to pay for the SRO, including benefits and transportation, and the position would be at
no cost to the County. She said this would provide prevention and interaction, and ERA would
like to see a statewide SRO program in place.
Sarah Yagnow said her son and daughter’s safety is her #1 concern. She said this
position would be at no cost to the County, and would foster a culture of safety that the SRO is
trained to do.
Kristi Anspach, Eno River Academy Board Chair, said she is a lifelong resident of
Orange County and a product of local public schools. She said there was an incident at Efland
Cheeks while her son was there, which was very concerning, but private schools were not an
affordable option. She said ERA offered an alternative, and she has seen the school grow and
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offer alternatives to many families. She said the ERA Board approved 100% funding for this
SRO position, and this is the type of precedent that the Board of County Commissioners should
want to set: valuing child safety, and being fiscally responsible.
Brad Tapper, ERA Board member, said he is an advocate for the SRO as safety is a top
concern, and is near and dear to his heart. He said earlier the BOCC spoke about safety
concerns and wanting rumble strips on the road, and now ERA is asking for the same thing:
safety at the school. He said ERA will fund this position completely, and is asking the BOCC to
put ERA students on a level playing field with everyone else.
Sheriff Blackwood said the County currently does not have an SRO at the school. He
said his department has been encouraged by the school to walk through the halls to identify
safety concerns. He said since 2017 there have been a total of 463 calls to the school involving
suspicious activity, response to alarms, locked keys in cars, minor crashes, etc. He said the
position would be fully funded by ERA, and would cost $70,069. He said the decision tonight is
not whether or not to assign an SRO to the school, as he plans to do this anyway. He said the
decision tonight is whether the Board will offer him an opportunity to get an FTE for him to offset
this SRO, which will be paid for by the school. He said he hopes the Board will concur that
leaving a school without an SRO is a bad decision, and he also hopes the Board would not
force him to diminish his services in other areas to fulfill this important need.
Commissioner Price asked if the school funds this position for a year, and then decides
it no longer wants the SRO, would the person be out of work.
Sheriff Blackwood said yes, it would be a one-year contract with that person.
Commissioner Price asked if this would be a person who is already serving on the
Sheriff’s staff, and would this person have a job if the school no longer wants the services.
Sheriff Blackwood said, no the person would not have a job at the end of the contract,
should ERA not want to renew the contract. He said the school has new construction, and he
anticipates ERA may want to increase the number of officers there.
Commissioner McKee said it is a question of equity, and SROs are being provided in
other schools. He said his concern is the safety of the children, regardless of where they attend
school.
Commissioner Greene said the Board previously discussed this, and asked if the Board
provides SROs for all of the charter schools in the County.
Commissioner Bedford said no, and asked if other charter schools have high schools.
Commissioner McKee said other schools have not requested a SRO, nor agreed to pay
for one.
Commissioner Bedford said the County provides SROs at the taxpayer’s expense, to all
schools in the Orange County School district. She said Orange County Schools pays the
County back for these positions.
Bonnie Hammersley said the schools pay for the SROs, and the Sheriff’s office is
reimbursed.
Commissioner Greene said she is not opposed to this position as the Sheriff is
responding to ERA with frequency already. She said there is a difference between a fully public
school and a charter school.
Sheriff Blackwood said he understands the distinction, and knows the BOCC is
concerned with the safety of all students in Orange County.
Commissioner Dorosin said there is a larger issue of SRO‘s in general. He said the
Board should have a broader conversation about having them in any schools, as studies
question SRO effectiveness. He said children in schools with SROs are more likely to be
arrested for non-serious, non-violent crimes; and videos show SRO misconduct. He said if
there are security concerns, the schools should address them with security officers that do not
have the authority to arrest, and he hopes for a broader conversation. He said if the BOCC
does continue to support the use of SROs, there should be memorandums of understanding
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(MOUs) that limit the roles of SROs, in order to prevent abuses and criminalization of low-level
crimes. He said he will continue to push for not using SROs at all, or having MOUs with the
schools to address the statistics.
Sheriff Blackwood said he appreciated Commissioner Dorosin’s comments, but
suggested he talk with Cait Fenhagen, Criminal Justice Resource Department, about Orange
County numbers. He said his office does have MOUs with the schools, which limit the authority
of the officers within school, and are recognized as the most effective MOU in the State. He
said the top two reasons children are arrested in North Carolina are disorderly conduct and
fighting, for which his staff do not arrest unless it becomes dangerous to the life and property of
another person. He said the schools handle disorderly conduct and fighting. He said the local
SROs take great care to ensure that children do not leave schools with unnecessary arrest
records, and he take offense that Commissioner Dorosin would accept that a study from another
county could represent the work being done in Orange County.
Commissioner Marcoplos said brought this topic up at a joint meeting with the school
boards a few years ago, and the school boards want SROs. He said he appreciates that
Orange County has a lighter arrest record and practice. He said it is great if a school is willing
to pay for the SRO, and the County should allow it.
Commissioner Bedford said she can see both sides. She said she there was an incident
at East Chapel Hill High School, and the violent incident ruined a teacher’s life, who was an
excellent teacher. She said incidents do happen. She said the impetus for having SROs
started with a 7th grade middle student who committed suicide at Culbreth Middle School. She
said the goal needs to be continually refocused on preventing child injury. She said Orange
County has the luxury of having progressive law enforcement departments, and have done the
crisis training voluntarily, and times have changed. She said there are many ways for the
officers to help at the schools, and while it is sad that SROs are needed at all, if there is a
school willing to take on this cost then she can support the request.
Commissioner McKee said the Board can have policy and academic discussions and
arguments until it’s blue in the face, but if the Board does not approve this request, and
something happens at ERA, then the BOCC Board would be as responsible as the person who
does the violent action.
Commissioner Dorosin asked if ERA will have to sign a MOU.
Sheriff Blackwood said yes, and has already agreed to do this.
Chair Rich asked if this is a one-year contract, which will be revisited annually.
Sheriff Blackwood said yes.
Chair Rich asked if the other schools have a multiple year contract, and if MOUs are
reviewed.
Sheriff Blackwood said his predecessor rarely renewed them, but he saw the need and
heard the argument at the state level, and will renew MOUs every year. He said times change,
studies change, philosophies change, and these issues need to be addressed regularly. He
said his department addresses actions with warning citations, and takes its actions within the
schools very seriously. He said his department is not interested in children having unwarranted
criminal records, and is confident that those involved in criminal justice would back him up.
Commissioner McKee referred to the recent incident with the special needs child, and
said that person needs to be punished for a long time.
A motion was made by Commissioner McKee, seconded by Commissioner Price for
the Board to:
1) Create a 1.0 FTE Deputy Sheriff I Position in the Orange County Sheriff’s Office for
Assignment to Eno River Academy; and
2) Approve Budget Amendment #2-A and the acceptance of offsetting revenue to cover the
pro-rated costs of the position for November 11, 2019 through June 30, 2020.
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VOTE: Ayes, 6; Nays, 1 (Commissioner Dorosin)
7. Reports
None
8. Consent Agenda
Removal of Any Items from Consent Agenda
Commissioner McKee pulled item 8-f.
Approval of Remaining Consent Agenda
A motion was made by Commissioner McKee, seconded by Commissioner Dorosin to
approve items 8-a through 8-e, and item 8-g on the Consent Agenda.
VOTE: UNANIMOUS
a. Minutes
The Board approved the minutes from the October 3 Work Session and October 15, 2019
Regular Meeting as submitted by the Clerk to the Board.
b. Motor Vehicle Property Tax Releases/Refunds
The Board voted to adopt a resolution, which is incorporated by reference, to release motor
vehicle property tax values for five taxpayers with a total of six bills that will result in a reduction
of revenue in accordance with NCGS 05-381(a)(1).
c. Property Tax Releases/Refunds
The Board voted to adopt a resolution, which is incorporated by reference, to release property
tax values for nineteen taxpayers with a total of thirty-three bills that will result in a reduction of
revenue in accordance with North Carolina General Statute 105-381(b).
d. Applications for Property Tax Exemption/Exclusion
The Board voted to adopt a resolution, which is incorporated by reference, for fourteen untimely
applications for exemption/exclusion from ad valorem taxation for forty-nine bills for the 2019 tax
year.
e. North Carolina Governor’s Highway Safety Program: Orange County Sheriff’s
Office Traffic Safety Project and Approval of Budget Amendment #2-B
The Board voted to adopt the North Carolina Governor’s Highway Safety Program Local
Governmental Resolution accepting federal funding for traffic safety projects to the Sheriff’s
Office; authorized the Chair to sign the Resolution; and approved Budget Amendment #2-B
accepting the $20,000 from federal grant funds.
g. Budget Amendment #2-C – Approval of an Intermediate Budget for the Link
Government Services Center Remediation Project
The Board voted to approve Budget Amendment #2-C, authorized the County Manager to
execute a lease for 405 Meadowlands Drive, and ratified the Manager’s signature for a lease for
115 East King Street.
Discussion and Approval of the Items Removed from the Consent Agenda
f. Modifications to the Board of County Commissioners’ “Rules of Procedure” for
Meeting Classifications and Clarification on Public Comments at BOCC Meetings
The Board considered voting to approve changing all references to the Board’s formal meetings
from “Regular Meeting” to “Business Meeting” going forward; and the modifications to the Rules
33
of Procedure as submitted by the County Attorney in Attachment 3 clarifying opportunities for
public comment at Board meetings.
Commissioner McKee said this change will take a massive amount of effort to update
documents.
David Hunt said this is merely used as a reference going forward involving changes in
the Rule of Procedure and the calendar at this time, and staff will correct items going forward.
He said staff is not looking to retroactively make changes to historical documents.
Commissioner McKee said he is referring to other documents that are currently in use,
and he does not understand the issue between a regular meeting and a business meeting.
John Roberts said State Statute defines any board meeting as a regular meeting, and
jurisdictions must have a minimum of one regular meeting per calendar month. He said
historically, the BOCC has referred to regular meetings as only those meetings where votes are
taken. He said in an effort to try to separate this, David Hunt came up with the idea to use the
term ‘business meeting’, like other towns do.
Commissioner McKee said it is not worth arguing over.
Commissioner Price said she has a concern about this also, but if staff says it is easy,
then she is fine with it. She said changing the names does not get to the point of the discussion
that regular meetings are when people can talk. She said work sessions are for the Board to
deliberate and discuss.
David Hunt, Deputy Clerk, said that by State Statute, all of the Board’s meetings could
be considered as regular meetings. He said staff is proposing using the term ‘business
meeting’ to help clarify this.
John Roberts said staff has included definitions, and specifically defined when the public
can speak.
Commissioner Greene said it makes sense to her, and the Town of Chapel Hill does the
same. She said Item 6 is good; and it is just a change in terminology, and the second concern
is communication. She said this is a good start.
A motion was made by Commissioner Marcoplos, seconded by Commissioner Greene
to approve changing all references to the Board’s formal meetings from “Regular Meeting” to
“Business Meeting” going forward; and the modifications to the Rules of Procedure as submitted
by the County Attorney in Attachment 3 clarifying opportunities for public comment at Board
meetings.
VOTE: Ayes, 6; Nays, 1 (Commissioner McKee)
9. County Manager’s Report
None
10. County Attorney’s Report
None
11. Appointments
None
12. Information Items
The Board received the following information items:
October 15, 2019 BOCC Meeting Follow-up Actions List
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Tax Collector’s Report – Numerical Analysis
Tax Collector’s Report – Measure of Enforced Collections
Tax Assessor's Report – Releases/Refunds under $100
13. Closed Session
A motion was made by Commissioner McKee, seconded by Commissioner Marcoplos to
go into closed session at 10:16 p.m. for the purposes below:
“To discuss the County’s position and to instruct the County Manager and County Attorney on
the negotiating position regarding the terms of a contract to purchase real property,” NCGS §
143-318.11(a)(5).
“To consider the qualifications, competence, performance, character, fitness, conditions of
appointment, or conditions of initial employment 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.” NCGS § 143-318.11(a)(6)
“To discuss matters related to the location or expansion of industries or other businesses in
the area served by the public body, including agreement on a tentative list of economic
development incentives that maybe offered by the public body’s negotiations” NCGS 143-
318.11(a)(4)
VOTE: UNANIMOUS
RECONVENE INTO REGULAR SESSION
A motion was made by Commissioner Dorosin, seconded by Commissioner McKee to
reconvene into regular session at 11:35 p.m.
VOTE: UNANIMOUS
14. Adjournment
A motion was made by Commissioner McKee, seconded by Commissioner Dorosin to
adjourn the meeting at 11:35 p.m.
VOTE: UNANIMOUS
Penny Rich, Chair
Sherri Ingersoll
Deputy Clerk