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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 11-14-2019 Business Meeting1 APPROVED 12/2/2019 MINUTES BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WORK SESSION November 14, 2019 7:00 p.m. The Orange County Board of Commissioners met in a work session on Thursday, November 14, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. at the Southern Human Services Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Penny Rich and Commissioners Jamezetta Bedford, Mark Dorosin, Sally Greene, Mark Marcoplos, Earl McKee 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 requested to add a Closed Session Item “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 may be offered by the public body in negotiations,” NCGS § 143-318.11(a)(4) A motion was made by Commissioner Greene, seconded by Commissioner Bedford to add the Closed Session item to the agenda. VOTE: UNANIMOUS 1. Presentation from UNC Student Team BACKGROUND: A student team from Dr. Allison De Marco's class in the UNC School of Social Work will provide a presentation to the Board. Commissioner Greene said for the past several years, Dr. Allison Demarco has asked the four Commissioners who serve on the Partnership to End Homelessness Board to come to her class and propose a project to test the idea of racial justice and economic justice in the School of Social Work at the University of North Carolina (UNC). She said this year she brought a proposition that the County only invest significant dollars in affordable housing that is on transit lines because the cost of transportation is a part of affordable housing equation, and one should not pay more than 30% of one’s income towards basic housing costs including transportation. She said this is complicated in Orange County, and the proposition may not be a good idea, but she asked the students to see if this would work. Valerie Lucas, student, thanked the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) for its involvement. She introduced the other team members: Tara Murray and Jane Stonehouse. She made the following PowerPoint presentation to discuss the students’ research and findings: 2 Valerie Lucas said 54% of renters need cost efficient housing, which is less than 30% of income. 3 Valerie Lucas said that the 77 cents is based on a national average, and Orange County may be better than this rate, as there are alternative systems available. Tara Murray continued the presentation: 4 Jane Stonehouse continued the presentation: 5 Jane Stonehouse said the research shows that a lack of affordable housing greatly impacts people of color, and their research confirms the recommendation for on-demand shuttles, which Carrboro Alderman Seils suggested. She said, as of July 14, new zoning requirements for single-room occupancies may make housing costs more affordable and is a more feasible option for low-income people. Valerie Lucas said she hopes the Board will find this tool useful, and it is always important to consider the racial impact. Chair Rich asked how long the students worked on this project. Jane Stonehouse said it has been ongoing for several weeks, and most of the interviews were pulled together a while back. Chair Rich asked if the County’s website was helpful, and information accessible and easy to find. 6 Valerie Lucas said the site is helpful, but the organization of it is challenging. Jane Stonehouse said this is a multi-dimensional issue, and it takes a lot of research to understand the terminology being used in the documents. Commissioner Dorosin said this is great work. He referred to the recommendation for an incentive structure, and asked if the students have thought about what this would look like. He said the County has tried some incentives in the past, such as density bonuses, but has been unsuccessful. He said incentives are not big enough to encourage affordable housing close to transportation. He said developers are happy to eschew those incentives to build larger homes. Tara Murray said the students were thinking mostly about the towns, and Chapel Hill may be best able to consider Orange County as a part of its strategy. She said if this type of incentive has not worked in the past, she would consider increasing it, as the need is great. She said the group feels strongly that an incentive would work, if the right size. Commissioner Dorosin referred to the slide that mentioned the 77 cents average additional cost for transportation, and said the land is so much cheaper in the County, and wondered if the number of units could be maximized and residents be given a car, as opposed to building on more expensive land in the towns. He said the piece of the pie where transportation is available is not growing and the cost of incentives would be too high. He asked if there is a tipping point between having affordable housing near public transit, and having it more removed but providing vehicles. He said the same issues arise about have affordable housing near public water and sewer, but the costs become prohibitive. Tara Murray said that is why the group supports the recommendation for on-demand shuttles, but this would be a long time coming and remains in the idea stage. Jane Stonehouse said that Durham County has a new program, and while she is not certain of all that Durham County does, there is a loan program that helps affordable housing developers to compete with the market. She said Orange County may be able to apply the idea of a loan program to get a foot in the door, as affordable housing and transportation is challenging. Commissioner Marcoplos said another concern is parking, which is appropriate in an urban setting. He said where public transportation is available; one could reduce the amount of parking to build more units, which could result in a reduction in rent. Commissioner McKee asked if the students looked at the Orange Public Transit (OPT) system and whether it could be reconfigured or revamped to accommodate building away from the urban centers. Tara Murray said the students think that urban transportation is important, but if County transportation was more sustainable, due to lower costs, and the amount of transit available could be increased, it might work; but community inclusiveness becomes a concern. Commissioner McKee said he is also concerned about creating islands of affordable housing. He asked if the students reached into the deeper layers of the community who are most affected, when conducting interviews. Jane Stonehouse said she interviewed Community Empowerment Fund (CEF) members, and the overwhelming consensus is that there is a need for affordable housing, and that most felt stifled by anything that would limit affordable housing in general. Commissioner McKee suggested going further than community activist groups or organizers, and to speak to people at the street level (community centers, churches, etc.). Jane Stonehouse said the people at CEF are on the street level, facing homelessness, and are in current search for affordable housing. Commissioner McKee said he misunderstood what she had said. 7 Commissioner Price said it is important to include people in the community, because there is a tendency to propose an idea that may not be what people want. She said even in some outlying areas, people feel differently. She said she liked the idea of the on-demand services. She applauded the students for their work, and encouraged them to remember there are different perspectives. Jane Stonehouse said people do not want apartment buildings. She said she spoke with several Rogers Road residents, and this is a concern. She said it is a balance between securing housing and meeting desires. Commissioner Price said maintaining community character is important, and having people be proud of their neighborhood. Commissioner Greene said she appreciates all of the time and thoughtful conclusions. She said a twist on the dilemma with transit is that one should not spend more than 30% of income on housing, but also often do not have their own cars. She asked if the County could subsidize housing and transportation so the amount does not exceed 38% total, which would help to equalize things. She said she spoke with a homeless woman who became homeless because she needed her car to get to work. She chose to get her car fixed and live in it, due to not being able to afford housing. Commissioner Greene said single room occupancies (SROs) are approved now in the Blue Hill Zoning District in Chapel Hill and created a good situation, despite typically having a bad rap. She said putting affordable housing on the Greene Tract does not meet the County’s density requirements to justify transit, but maybe the County could run a bus out there anyway. She said the sentiment of CEF is that the County will only approve affordable housing on transit routes. She said she has chosen to accept this as information, and there is a part of our community that is deeply skeptical of the County’s intentions regarding affordable housing. She said it would be wise for the County to change that perception. Jane Stonehouse said some of the input from CEF is rooted in feelings of lack of inclusion in these discussions; not everyone at CEF is experiencing homelessness, and low-income people have all sorts of needs. Tara Murray said she sat in on a CEF community meeting where the Greene Tract was discussed, and a Chapel Hill Town Councilmember said there was no way affordable housing could be built there, due to the lack of transit. Commissioner Dorosin said seeking to concentrate affordable housing only where there is transit and water and sewer is a real problem. He said the County does not have primary control over the areas around Chapel Hill and Carrboro, and has minimal influence to make this happen. He asked if the County should have more influence. Commissioner Dorosin said the common metric of not more than 30% of one’s income going to housing typically includes utilities but does not include transit. Jane Stonehouse said Alderman Seils suggested 40% to include housing and transit. Commissioner Greene said the nature of incentives is money, as voluntary density incentives do not work. She said if there is enough cash to partner with a for-profit developer, on an existing site to create affordable housing, one would not have to worry about zoning. Commissioner Marcoplos said the County owns some parcels along Fordham Boulevard. Commissioner Dorosin said this will cost a great deal of money to make it work. Commissioner Greene said one development that was discussed is a bus corridor in Arlington, VA where affordable housing came to fruition, but the state of Virginia put in money to make it happen, as well as the city of Arlington, and has a dedicated tax for affordable housing. She said this type of money is not available locally. 8 Commissioner Price said the State of New York also has a large fund for this. She said one must consider that the cost of living in our area is very high, when one includes cell phones and Internet access. She said as there are no state funds, she wonders what the County can do with regard to the costs (such as permitting, etc.). Commissioner Greene said Chapel Hill does waive inspection and other fees for affordable housing. Jane Stonehouse referred to Commissioner Dorosin concerns, and said one thing to consider is pushing out the Rural Buffer, as the shortage of available land is a critical issue. She said Chapel Hill Transit goes to the edge of Rural Buffer, and it is a pretty stark area and an extra half-mile of development would go a long way. Commissioner Marcoplos said the Rural Buffer has created a great place to live, and he would argue strongly against touching the Rural Buffer until the Greene Tract has been used properly. He said it does not make much sense to change the Rural Buffer without taking advantage of other opportunities first. He said the Greene Tract is the least expensive path towards the most housing. Commissioner Dorosin said it only works if the land inside the Rural Bis developed intensely. He said infill is a larger problem than just the Greene Tract. Commissioner McKee said the County could look at the structural part of the transportation system in depth. He said it is very expensive around Chapel Hill and Carrboro, and the base problem is that it is possible for a developer to build a large home versus multiple affordable units. He said building affordable housing affects one’s profit. He said one can focus on areas that are not in the Rural Buffer if it makes sense, like along new NC 86, and make those areas affordable. He said it is not appropriate along Orange Grove Road or Highway 54, as there is no infrastructure. Chair Rich thanked the students for the presentation, and said everyone gets an A. Chair Rich said that at the Commissioner’s places, there is a report from the Cooperative Extension breakfast and maps from Commissioner Marcoplos regarding transportation. 2. Advisory Board on Aging – Appointment Discussion BACKGROUND: The following appointment information is for Board consideration: NOTE: As outlined in the Advisory Board on Aging Policies and Procedures, of the twelve (12) voting members, seven (7) must be over the age of Sixty (60) years. This would mean that no more than five (5) members can be under the age of Sixty (60) years. Please see the specifics below that are outlined in the Advisory Board on Aging Policies and Procedures: SECTION III: MEMBERSHIP A. Authority 1. North Carolina General Statute 153A-76 grants boards of county commissioners the authority to establish advisory boards and to appoint members to and remove members from those advisory boards. In acting on this authority the Orange County Board of Commissioners hereby establishes certain general conditions to which applicants and members of advisory boards should conform. 9 B. Composition 1. The Advisory Board on Aging is composed of twelve (12) voting members. 2. Members shall consist of seven members over the age of 60 years, one person who is a resident of the Town of Chapel Hill, one person who is a resident of the Town of Carrboro, one person who is a resident of the Town of Hillsborough, and two persons who are residents of unincorporated areas. During the September 17, 2019 BOCC Regular meeting, the commissioners appointed three (3) individuals to fill vacant positions. Two (2) of those appointees were not over the age of Sixty (60) years. At the time, there was only one position that would accommodate a person under the age of Sixty (60) years. Chair Rich said the BOCC’s last appointment to this Board was not in the right age bracket, as one of the appointments must be over age 60. Thom Freeman-Stuart, Clerk’s Office, said that both previous appointments were under the age of 60, and the positions on the advisory board for persons under 60 years old are limited to five. Chair Rich said the BOCC had no way of knowing an applicant’s age. Thom Freeman-Stuart said this was a surprise after the appointments were made, and staff has not run into this problem before. He said the requirement is in the advisory board’s bylaws. Chair Rich asked if there was a way the BOCC could have known. David Hunt said the BOCC does not know the applicant’s age from the application, and staff was not aware of the problem until it actually happened. He said, historically, the Advisory Board makes the recommendation, as it does know the requirements of the positions that are available. He said the BOCC and staff were not aware of the problem. He said tonight’s task it to narrow it down to one appointment. Commissioner Marcoplos asked if this is discriminatory because of age. David Hunt said it is based on State guidelines that a certain percentage of members need to be over 60. Chair Rich said in the future the BOCC will need this information. Thom Freeman-Stuart said, going forward, he will make that notation on the abstract. He said this issue has never happened before. David Hunt said the new application includes an age category. Commissioner Dorosin said knowing the age of the person is helpful, but the BOCC should be made aware of any Board that has these types of requirements, via the abstract. He said it is also important for the public to know of any statutory requirements. Thom Freeman-Stuart said position numbers generally list any special requirements. Commissioner Price said, in looking at the responses, she feels Karen Green- McElveen gave more positive responses in her experience, expressed a stronger desire to be on the Board, and appears to be better qualified. Commissioner Marcoplos agreed, and said he also considers how long an applicant has been a part of the community. Commissioner Dorosin said the other candidate has more work-related experience, and working in the field of aging would be more relevant. He said he puts less stock in how long someone has lived in Orange County, versus the experience one might have. Commissioner Price asked if Ms. Collins is already serving on a board. Thom Freeman-Stuart said both applicants are already serving on other boards. Commissioner Price asked if the attendance records on other boards is available. Thom Freeman-Stuart said yes, it’s available but it’s not included in the abstract. 10 Commissioner Greene agreed that Tiketha Collins’ experience is strong. Chair Rich asked if the Board can move forward given that there are divided opinions. She said the goal of these discussions is to reach conclusions prior to voting at a business meeting. Commissioner Dorosin said if anyone has any other information, it should be shared publicly, as this was the reason for these more in depth discussions. He said the Board should be respectful of people’s interests and feelings, but if others know relevant information about an applicant, it is important to share openly and candidly so the Board can make the best decision. Commissioner Price said she does not have verifiable proof of information that has been shared with her about either of the candidates. Commissioner Dorosin said if this potential information is important, then Commissioner Price could seek verification and return to the Board with an update. He said the process is not going to work if the BOCC does not all have the same information. Chair Rich said yes, this was the intention of changing this process. Commissioner Dorosin said if more information is desired, this is the time to ask for it. Chair Rich said she is not aware of more information, and she could go with either person based on the information provided. Commissioner Bedford said she has known Karen Green-McElveen for many years, and it was a surprise when the Board made the other appointment. She said she created an excel spreadsheet, and the BOCC is fortunate to have two African-American women, which is an important factor. She said she believes Tiketha Collins would round out that Board more, because she has administrative expertise based on the application. She recommended appointing Tiketha Collins for this particular advisory board. Chair Rich asked if all Commissioners accepted Tiketha Collins being put on the consent agenda for appointment. The Board agreed by consensus. 3. Agricultural Preservation Board – Appointments Discussion BACKGROUND: The following appointment information is for Board consideration: Chair Rich said this board is eager to be at full capacity. Commissioner McKee said he knows all of these applications, except Dr. Jane Saiers. He said all of the applicants are all very involved in agriculture, and would like to serve. Commissioner Marcoplos said they are all good applicants. Chair Rich asked if these should all go on the consent agenda for appointment. Commissioner Bedford said this is a 15-person board, and only one person will be a minority. 11 Chair Rich said diversity will be a challenge with this board due to the composition of farmers in Orange County. Commissioner McKee said the BOCC can recruit to try and change this lack of diversity. Commissioner Marcoplos said the Board needs to have a discussion about this challenge of recruitment. He said the County must spread the word about these boards to more diverse groups and people within the community. He said he is not sure of the best way to achieve this, but it will be the most fruitful way to diversify the applicant pool. Commissioner Price said all of these boards have been in place for so long, with the same people, and the BOCC tends to say OK. She said this causes some applicants to think it is not worth the time to apply. Commissioner Marcoplos said this needs to change. Chair Rich said the BOCC can charge this advisory board with this challenge of greater diversity. Commissioner Price said diversity is a challenge across the County, and something needs to be done overall. She said the County claims to value diversity, but needs to show people that their voices are wanted; people need to feel included. Chair Rich asked if the BOCC should move these recommendations to the consent agenda, as well as reach out to the advisory board to encourage more diverse recruitment. Commissioner Dorosin asked if the staff person is who is assigned to this Board could be identified. Thom Freeman-Stuart said Peter Sandback. Commissioner Dorosin said the BOCC could charge Peter Sandback to reach out to other organizations related to people of color involved in agriculture. He said the County needs be creative and break out of this rut, and task itself to be more inclusive. Bonnie Hammersley said can speak to all staff reps for the Boards and Commissions, and discuss outreach for diversity on the BOCC’s behalf. Commissioner Price said she and Thom Freeman-Stuart have plans to go to some organizational meetings, and are in the process of coordinating this. Commissioner McKee said the BOCC also needs to take responsibility. He said there are some applicants and advisory board members that he has personally recruited, and if BOCC members know, or meet, people who are impressive and align with these committees, the BOCC members should reach out. Commissioner Marcoplos said it is fine to reach out to staff to get this going, but it is important to also look at how the Board can impact getting more diverse applicants, so it does not just fall on the various boards and commissions. He said there needs to be a systematic approach and process. Commissioner Bedford asked if it is a requirement that the applicants own a farm. Thom Freeman-Stuart said no it is not a requirement. Commissioner Bedford said farmhands might be good to approach. Commissioner Dorosin said perhaps the Food Council could help. Commissioner Greene said perhaps the Breeze Farm could also help. Commissioner Bedford said perhaps Cooperative Extension, to broaden the scope. Commissioner Price said County also needs to build a culture of inclusiveness, and people need to feel they will get something out of serving on a board. Commissioner Dorosin said changing the culture is a different challenge than getting diversity on the boards. He said a lot of these issues are part of this, and there is a micro and macro aspect. Chair Rich said these appointments can all go on one consent item, and staff can talk with this board specifically. 12 4. Carrboro Board of Adjustment – Appointments Discussion BACKGROUND: The following appointment information is for Board consideration: Commissioner Greene asked if there is a reason that the BOCC is appointing John Baker, as he lives within the Carrboro City limits. Commissioner Bedford said this position has been vacant for so long, and Carrboro can make recommendations after 90 days. She said all four applicants were white males. David Hunt said the position was for the ETJ representative, and since vacancy was for so long, Carrboro could appoint it if the Board of County Commissioners does not take action within 90 days. He said it is in front of the Board now to make an official appointment. Commissioner Dorosin asked if these ETJ seats are required by statute. John Roberts said yes, but there are no applicants from the ETJ. Commissioner Dorosin said there are many people who live in the northern transition area, who have expressed interest in this area in other discussions, and asked if any of them would be willing to serve. David Hunt said they do not want to be on this board; they want to be on others. Chair Rich asked if the Board should move this to the consent agenda. Commissioner Dorosin said the BOCC should review the ETJ’s at a future meeting, and ask if towns should let people out of the ETJ, and put them back in the County, or annex them into the towns. He said this conversation illustrates a real flaw with the whole set up. Chair Rich agreed, and said it is a huge problem. She said the BOCC can look at this in the future, maybe at a work session. Commissioner Dorosin said perhaps the BOCC can get a map of the ETJ’s so it can see the boundaries and where they overlap. 5. Chapel Hill Board of Adjustment – Appointments Discussion BACKGROUND: The following appointment information is for Board consideration: NOTE: Position Two (2) listed below has been vacant for more than 90 days and the Chapel Hill Council selected a Town of Chapel Hill resident. Chair Rich asked if Chapel Hill has the same rules for 90 days. 13 Thome Freeman-Stuart said yes. Commissioner Marcoplos said these applicants do not live in the ETJ. Commissioner Dorosin said the County should reach out to the Rogers Road community, as it is in the ETJ, and their voices are needed, especially in regards to the Greene Tract. He said he would be happy to reach out to this community in regards to the third position. Commissioner McKee asked if the third position remain open until the BOCC finds someone to fill it. Commissioner Dorosin said yes. Commissioner Price asked if the BOCC wants to approve the other two applicants. Chair Rich said she shared Commissioner Marcoplos’ concerns that these applicants do not live in the ETJ, but if Chapel Hill is allowed to appoint after 90 days, she does not know if there is much to be done. Commissioner Dorosin said having the ETJ map would help the BOCC with recruiting. Chair Rich said to move these appointments forward to the consent agenda. The Board agreed by consensus. 6. Chapel Hill Planning Commission – Appointment Discussion BACKGROUND: The following appointment information is for Board consideration: Chair Rich said she is concerned about this position. She said the BOCC created this seat when it decided to put Rogers Road and the Greene Tract in the ETJ, and desired for this neighborhood to have representation on the Planning Board. She said none of these applicants are from those areas. She asked if the Town is also able to appoint here after a 90-day vacancy, because if so, this voids the BOCC’s desire for representation. Thom Freeman-Stuart said yes, this is also the case here. Chair Rich said she does not think this is acceptable, as the reason for putting this land in the ETJ was to ensure representation. Commissioner Greene said she thought there had always been a representative of the ETJ on the Chapel Hill Planning Board. Chair Rich said the BOCC specifically wanted representation from the Rogers Road community. Commissioner Greene asked if there are now 2 county ETJ representatives on the Chapel Hill Planning Board. Thom Freeman-Stuart said there are two seats, but a specific community is not defined. Commissioner Price said the applicant for position #2 is not from the Rogers Road community. Commissioner Marcoplos said consistency is important, and the BOCC just needs to have the greater ETJ discussion. 14 Commissioner Price said she is trying to figure out which position is which, and asked if there is no one for position 1. Commissioner Greene said the recommended appointment for position 2 is in the ETJ, just not in the Rogers Road community. Thom Freeman-Stuart said this is a reappointment. He said when the application comes in he verifies the area. He said the first appointment was for a partial term. Chair Rich asked if the BOCC needs to appoint for position 1. Thom Freeman-Stuart said yes. Commissioner Bedford said Chapel Hill did not recommend anyone for this position, and so the BOCC can keep this open and recruit. Commissioner Dorosin said to go ahead with Michael Everhart for position 2, as he has a planning and environmental background. Chair Rich said she is more concerned about the vacancy. Commissioner McKee said there is no reason to not appoint Michael Everhart. Chair Rich said the BOCC needs to reach out to people in the Rogers Road area, to have their voice as a part of the conversation. She said to put Michael Everhart on the consent agenda, and leave position #1 open for further recruitment. The Board agreed by consensus. 7. Hillsborough Board of Adjustment – Appointment Discussion BACKGROUND: The following appointment information is for Board consideration: Chair Rich said the BOCC received a letter from Hillsborough with Dustin Williams’ attendance records. Thom Freeman-Stuart said Hillsborough is looking for an additional one year term, as Dustin Williams’ first term was partial. Chair Rich said if there are no objections, the Board can move forward with this one. The Board agreed by consensus. 8. Hillsborough Planning Board – Appointment Discussion BACKGROUND: The following appointment information is for Board consideration: Chair Rich said his first term was a partial term, and this is his first full term appointment. She said to move forward with the appointment on the consent agenda. The Board agreed by consensus. Commissioner Greene asked if staff is certain that Jeffrey Scott lives in the ETJ. Thom Freeman-Stuart said he will verify this and add it to the database. 9. Human Relations Commission – Appointments Discussion BACKGROUND: The following appointment information is for Board consideration: 15 Commissioner Bedford said she personally knows Tomeka Ward-Satterfield, and she is a strong candidate. Commissioner Price agreed. Chair Rich said these are good candidates. Commissioner Bedford said these recommendations offer good diversity, and this board is good about diversity. Commissioner Marcoplos said this Board is where the diverse candidates converge. He asked if the BOCC could suggest that some of these applicants consider serving on other boards, with the same perspective they sought to bring to the HRC. Commissioner Price said the HRC is a good in-road to this type of service. Commissioner Dorosin said it is a good idea, but diversity is at the core of this commission, and this core needs to be extended to other boards. He said diversity is a value, and the boards need to prioritize it. Commissioner McKee said it can be prefaced that all applicants cannot be appointed to the HRC, and there are needs on other boards should people be interested. He asked if applicants typically apply for one board, or multiple. Commissioner Dorosin said the application asks this question. Thom Freeman-Stuart said about 30% apply for multiple boards on the same application. He said the only thing you will see on the applicant interest list is if they are already serving on a board currently. Commissioner Marcoplos said it is important to recruit others. Commissioner Bedford said these diverse applicants can also be asked to recruit friends for other boards. Commissioner Price said one will find more people of color on the Housing advisory boards and the Human Relations Commission, as they are an area of comfort. She said on some boards one may be the only person of color, which can be off putting. John Roberts said Annette Moore was planning to be here tonight to discuss diversity on the boards, but had a conflict arise. He said she and him have had discussions about having a diversity board for the County, but decided to not do so at this time. He said for the last couple of weeks, Annette Moore been working with the Human Relations Commission on increasing diversity among other boards, and she should be able to come to talk with the BOCC about this shortly. Chair Rich asked if these recommendations can be moved to the consent agenda. The Board agreed by consensus. 10. Nursing Home Community Advisory Committee – Appointment Discussion BACKGROUND: The following re-appointment information is for Board consideration: 16 (NOTE: As of July 1, 2017, a new bill was passed in the North Carolina Legislature regarding the training period for pending members of the “Adult Care Home Community Advisory Committee and Nursing Home Community Advisory Committee”. The bill is HB248 which reverses the appointment of the applicant to a one year training term. Applicants will be selected from our county “Applicant Interest List” for a more condensed training and if the applicant successfully completes the training, they would be recommended for appointment. Therefore, when an applicant is recommended for appointment, it would initially be for a one year preliminary term and their training will have already been completed. Chair Rich said the BOCC does have to follow the rules here, and only one person is being recommended. Thom Freeman-Stuart said the applicant has completed training and the training term. Commissioner Dorosin asked if this Board should be added to the legislative goals, as this requirement seems excessive, and makes the positions difficult to fill. John Roberts said yes, the Statutes require specific training. Commissioner Dorosin asked if other counties have this problem. David Hunt said staff has had a philosophical discussion about this. He said if one looks at the positions for nursing home administration, there are a finite number of people in Orange County, who could potentially be rating their own business, and their competitors’ establishments. He said this is awkward, yet required. Thom Freeman-Stuart said the Adult Care Committee moved away from this requirement. John Roberts said these two boards can be combined to have a fewer number of positions, but they still have to complete the training. He said a representative from Triangle J talked about this recently. Commissioner Greene said there is a Triangle J meeting next week, and as the BOCC rep, she can ask about combining the boards. Commissioner Dorosin said he would be in favor of combining these. Chair Rich asked if there is a process to combine these two boards. John Roberts said the process is outlined in the Statutes. Chair Rich said she would like to explore this. John Roberts said he thinks it would reduce the number of seats to be filled by 5 or 6, should the boards be combined. The Board agreed by consensus to explore combining the Adult Care Home and Nursing Home Advisory Boards, and move this appointment to the Consent Agenda. 11. Workforce Development Board – Appointment Discussion 17 BACKGROUND: The following information is for Board consideration: Thom Freeman-Stuart said Department of Social Services Director Nancy Coston called him to discuss instability on this Board, but that has cleared up, and the Board may want to open this up for recruitment to seat two more people. He said staff has not sent out a public notice yet. Chair Rich asked if Nancy Coston wants to continue on this Board. Thom Freeman-Stuart said yes. Chair Rich asked if this appointment can be moved to the consent agenda. The Board agreed by consensus. Commissioner McKee said a resolution came out of conference committee today about the NCDOT funding shortfall that passed in House and Senate to provide $750 million in five components of funding for different parts of DOT work. He said it is critical in that it will put several hundred people in Orange County and several thousands of others back to work. He said he has been involved with several legislators since this announcement came out several months ago. He said the shortfall is possibly related to mismanagement of DOT, and the major storm and hurricane costs, and legislature dealt with a class action lawsuit about property lines being changed without compensating landowners after major storms. He said there is about a $1 billion cost to this class action suit, so it created a perfect storm. Commissioner Marcoplos said the storms are also known as climate change. Commissioner McKee said the State usually budgets $50 million a year for storm damage, and the actual cost was between $200 and $400 million. A motion was made by Commissioner Dorosin, seconded by Commissioner Greene at 8:44 p.m. to move to Closed Session “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 may be offered by the public body in negotiations,” NCGS § 143-318.11(a)(4). VOTE: UNANIMOUS A motion was made by Commissioner Greene, seconded by Commissioner Bedford to return to Open Session at 9:46 p.m. VOTE: Unanimous ADJOURNMENT A motion was made by Commissioner Greene, seconded by Commissioner Bedford to adjourn the meeting. 18 VOTE: Unanimous The meeting adjourned at 9:47 p.m. Penny Rich, Chair Sherri Ingersoll Deputy Clerk