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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 10-19-2021 Virtual Business meeting 1 APPROVED 12/6/21 MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS VIRTUAL BUSINESS MEETING October 19, 2021 7:00 p.m. The Orange County Board of Commissioners met for a Virtual Business Meeting on Tuesday, October 19, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Renee Price, Vice Chair Jamezetta Bedford, and Commissioners Amy Fowler, Jean Hamilton, Sally Greene, Earl McKee (arrived at 7:11 p.m.), and Anna Richards COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: None. COUNTY ATTORNEYS PRESENT: John Roberts COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager Bonnie Hammersley, Deputy County Manager Travis Myren, and Clerk to the Board Laura Jensen. (All other staff members will be identified appropriately below) Chair Price called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. A roll call was called; all members were present, except Commissioner McKee. Due to current public health concerns, the Board of Commissioners is conducting a Virtual Business Meeting on Tuesday, October 19, 2021. Members of the Board of Commissioners participated in the meeting remotely. As in prior meetings, members of the public were able to view and listen to the meeting via live streaming video at http://www.orangecountync.gov/967/Meeting-Videos and on Orange County Gov-TV on channels 1301 or 97.6 (Spectrum Cable). In this new virtual process, there are two methods for public comment. • Written submittals by email • Speaking during the virtual meeting Detailed public comment instructions for each method are provided at the bottom of this agenda. (Pre-registration is required.) Chair Price dispensed with reading the public charge. Public Charge: The Board of Commissioners pledges its respect to all present. The Board asks those attending this meeting to conduct themselves in a respectful, courteous manner toward each other, county staff and the commissioners. At any time should a member of the Board or the public fail to observe this charge, the Chair will take steps to restore order and decorum. Should it become impossible to restore order and continue the meeting, the Chair will recess the meeting until such time that a genuine commitment to this public charge is observed. The BOCC asks that all electronic devices such as cell phones, pagers, and computers should please be turned off or set to silent/vibrate. Please be kind to everyone. 2 Chair Price mentioned current events, including the passing of Colin Powell and the retirement announcement by Representative David Price after at least 30 years. She noted he is still in office until December 2022. 1. Additions or Changes to the Agenda Chair Price suggested moving items 8-i and 8-j from the consent agenda to the regular agenda, Item 6, for further discussion. Commissioner Bedford asked to pull item 8-h from the consent agenda as well. Chair Price said that item could be pulled for discussion when they reach item 8 on the agenda. A motion was made by Commissioner Fowler, seconded by Commissioner Hamilton, to move items 8-i and 8-j from the consent agenda to the regular agenda as items 6-d and 6-e, respectively. Roll call ensued VOTE: UNANIMOUS 2. Public Comments a. Matters not on the Printed Agenda Destinee Alston said she is a community health worker and case manager for Orange County through Green Rural Redevelopment Organization (GRRO). She said she wanted to introduce herself and the organization to the Commissioners and staff. She said GRRO has received funding to provide services to Orange County, including COVID-related services, mental health services, education, housing, groceries, and anything to better the quality of life for families in the Orange County Area. She said she saw on the last meeting agenda that the Family Success Alliance (FSA) was possibly looking for a liaison and GRRO is interested in learning more and helping to further that mission as well. 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 Greene said she attended the Efland Seafood Festival a couple of weeks ago, which was an interesting and fun experience. She said she attended the groundbreaking for the Weaver's Grove development from Orange County Habitat yesterday, which is project the county helped fund in Chapel Hill. She said it will be 237 units of mixed used development, 101 of which will be Habitat units. She said this project has been in the planning stages for 19 years. She said Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat International, is a Chapel Hill native and made remarks. She said she also attended the Freedom Fund Banquet yesterday, held by the Chapel Hill-Carrboro National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) at the Carraway drive-in movie theater in Chapel Hill. She said the speaker was Nse Ufot, CEO of the New Georgia Project, which a non-partisan organization that has done work getting people registered to vote in Georgia. She noted the unexpected death of Beau Bennett of Beau's Catering, a very lively and great young man who touched a lot of lives. She said Mayor Jenn Weaver wrote a tribute to him in this week's News of Orange. 3 Commissioner Richards said she is continuing her education on Orange County, and was briefed by 26 of the 28 departments in the County. She thanked the Clerk for arranging those meetings and staff for meeting with her. She said she attended the Jordan Lake One- Water event, which was very informative. She said she toured the Buckhorn Economic Development area, and is getting out and doing some of the orientation she committed to do. She said she attended a Hispanic Heritage Month event sponsored by Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS) in Carrboro on Friday night, and then went to the other events Commissioner Greene mentioned. She said she welcomed guests at the Chamber of Commerce issues forum on real estate, and encouraged the Commissioners to watch the video from that event. Commissioner Hamilton said she attended the NAACP Freedom Fund Banquet, and the keynote speech was inspiring and highlighted the importance of working together. She said there is a lot of work to do, which will take a long time and will require tag teaming to get the work done. She expressed appreciation to Hilary McKenzie of the Orange County School (OCS) Board and OCS Superintendent Dr. Felder for sending the resolution to Commissioners to let them know about what is going on in Orange County Schools. She said she is concerned about the learning environment for the students and wants to support them in improving things. Commissioner McKee arrived at 7:11 pm. Commissioner Fowler seconded Commissioner Hamilton's comments and stands in solidarity with the schools against hate, and is in support of students and staff. She said she attended the Inter-Governmental Parks meeting last month and heard updates from each municipality about parks and land conservancies. She said the main focus remains on following COVID practices, but there has been a lot of use of outdoor facilities thanks to COVID. She said there is increasing focus on sustainability projects as well. She said she attended the NAACP event online. She said it is "Ink-tober", as celebrated by the Orange County Library, and encouraged Commissioners to participate and get engaged. Commissioner Bedford wished Commissioner Greene a happy birthday. She said she voted today and encouraged others to vote early. She said early voting is open in the current week Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Saturday 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and Sunday 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. She said next week's schedule is online, and no voter IDs required this year. She thanked the elections staff running the sites and the temporary poll workers. Commissioner McKee recognized and congratulated 29 Orange County farms inducted into the North Carolina Century farm program at the North Carolina State Fair. He said the farm that he and his mother, brother, and sister own was one of the 29 farms. Chair Price referred to the letter from OCS, and said Commissioner Hamilton and Commissioner Richards have volunteered to write a statement in support. She said she will bring forward a proclamation at the next meeting to proclaim November as Native American Heritage Month. She said she attended the dedication of the mural of African American Trailblazers in Chapel Hill-Carrboro, and encouraged Commissioners to view it because there are recognizable faces there. She said she also went to an event at Pluck, regarding the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, which Commissioner Greene also attended. She said she attended the virtual meeting with the public regarding the Buckhorn Area Study, which included a brief presentation by staff and comments from the public with good discussion. She encouraged anyone with questions to contact Tom Altieri in the Planning Department. She said Saturday 10/23 is National Operation Take Back Day, and all three towns are participating. She said this effort allows people to dispose of medications properly. She said drop off locations include the Fairview Community Center, Wegman's in Chapel Hill, and possibly the Town Hall in Carrboro. She said Senator Foushee's weekly newsletter announced that House Bill 951 passed, which 4 provides a path for 70% reduction in carbon emissions before 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050. She said by the end of 2022 Utilities Commission must sign off on Duke Energy's first carbon plan, setting guidelines for carbon reduction. Chair Price said over the years, she has received periodic complaints about debris in people's yards. She said the county has comprehensive land use regulations addressing many environmental topics and has worked hard to educate local communities on the environmental management program. She said there have been issues associated with the upkeep of property and the county can do better. She said issues involve unkempt yards, chemicals, etc., and some situations need to be addressed by more than one department, and she asked if the County Attorney and Planning Supervisor would prepare a report outlining available options to the county to address such nuisance issues. She said it is important to consider how regulations will be enforced, and who will enforce them. She said she would like to see departments work together to develop a comprehensive solution to local residents' needs. Commissioner Bedford reminded Chair Price to ask for volunteers to serve on the committee that will look at the possible restructuring of the Climate Council. She volunteered to serve. Chair Price asked how many people they discussed to serve. Commissioner Bedford said two or three. Commissioner Richards also volunteered to serve on the committee. 4. Proclamations/ Resolutions/ Special Presentations a. Recognition of County Employee Retirements from July 1, 2021 through September 30, 2021 The Board recognized and expressed gratitude to recent county employee retirees for their devotion and service to Orange County and its residents. BACKGROUND: The following employees have retired in the first quarter of this fiscal year: First Retirement YRS OF Name Last Name Title Department Date SERVICE FACILITIES ENVIR ERNEST MOORE TECH II SHERIFF 08/18/2021 3 DEPUTY REGISTER OF CLAUDE PIERCY DEEDS II REGISTER OF DEEDS 08/31/2021 5 ADMINISTRATIVE ENVIRONMENT, AG, LISA BRASHEAR SUPPORT I PARKS & REC 07/31/2021 16 HOUSING & COMM ANGELA ROCKETT OFFICE ASSISTANT II DEVELOPMENT 07/30/2021 19 DEPUTY FINANCIAL FINANCE AND ADMIN PAUL LAUGHTON SRVS DIRECTOR SERVICES 08/31/2021 22 ADMINISTRATIVE GWEN CAPERS SUPPORT II HUMAN RESOURCES 08/31/2021 32 SOLID WASTE SOLID WASTE BLAIR POLLOCK PLANNER MANAGEMENT 07/30/2021 33 EMERGENCY TRUDY LUCAS TELECOMMUNICATOR SERVICES 07/31/2021 34 5 The Orange County Board of Commissioners thanked each of these retirees for their service to Orange County and for their dedication in meeting the primary mission of Orange County, in serving residents with fairness, respect and understanding. Chair Price said this idea came about while working on her Monday Memo and realizing that there has not been an opportunity to recognize those who are retiring from Orange County, due to Covid-19. Brenda Bartholomew, Human Resources Director, indicated the recognized retirees present on the call first, including Angela Rockett, Blair Pollock, and Trudy Lucas. She then recognized the other listed retirees who were not present. Commissioner Hamilton thanked the retirees for their years of service to Orange County. Chair Price thanked retirees for their dedication and wished them the best in their retirement. She said it will be hard to replace them. 5. Public Hearings None 6. Regular Agenda a. Community Climate Action Grant (CCAG) — FY 2021-22 Protect Selection for General Applicants The Board received the grant project funding recommendations from the Human Relations Commission (HRC) and the Commission for the Environment for the FY 2021-22 Orange County Community Climate Action Grant Program; considered approving funding for the recommended Community Climate Action Grant projects for FY 2021-22 as outlined in the attached report; and received and considered approving the request from the HRC to shift one point in the scoring rubric from "Time to Complete" to "Social Justice/ Racial Equity" in future rounds of grant funding. BACKGROUND: As part of the FY 2019-20 budget, the Board of Orange County Commissioners (BOCC) created the Orange County Climate Action Fund dedicated to accelerating climate change mitigation actions in Orange County. This decision was motivated in part to help the County meet the climate change mitigation goals set by the Board in recent years: • Reduce greenhouse gas emissions community-wide by 26 percent by 2025 (from 2005 levels). • Transition to a 100% renewable energy based economy by 2050. For the 2021-22 funding cycle, $536,665 in funding was budgeted to support climate action projects that will benefit Orange County residents both socially and financially. Following the direction of the Board of Orange County Commissioners (BOCC), the process for soliciting and selecting projects to receive funding was conducted through a formal Community Climate Action Grant (CCAG) program. For this grant cycle, the BOCC reserved half of the total funding for this grant program ($268,332.50) to be awarded to projects submitted by either of Orange County's two public school districts. The remaining half ($268,332.50) was to be made available to all other eligible general applicants in this round. 6 Only one project totaling $68,616 has been submitted from either School district, and no funding allocated for the schools has yet been recommended for approval. Attachment 2 provides additional information. In light of the Board's interest in supporting school climate action projects and the special challenges facing schools as they operate during a pandemic, the current grant deadline for school projects will be extended through the end of November. County staff have already begun reaching back out to the schools to offer direct assistance in generating project proposals for this extended FY2021-22 round of funding as well as the FY2022-23 round of funding set to open later this year. The information below describes the scoring, ranking, and reasoning of the review of general applications. The Community Climate Action grant program received seven (7) applications in this round from a variety of general applicants representing non-profit and public organizations whose total requests add up to more than $880,000. While staff fielded some questions from prospective applicants from the private sector, no private sector applications were received. Grant applications were completed over the summer and reviewed and scored by the Commission for the Environment (CFE) and the Human Relations Commission (HRC). On September 13, 2021, each of these Commissions voted to forward their final scoring and comments to the BOCC. The following is a rank-order summary table of the combined project scoring and recommendations, and more details on each project are available in Attachment 1: Funding Recommend Total Rank* Project Applicant Requeste ed Funding Running Score Out of 7 d Level total Out of application 25 is Low Income Rebuilding HVAC Together of $113,000 $113,000 $113,000 22.8 1 Replacement the Triangle Neighborhood NC Energy Sustainable $115,000 $90,000 $203,000.0 21.2 2 Resiliency Energy 0 Project (NERP) Association Food Waste Town of $4,000 $4,000 $207,000.0 20.4 3 Monitor Carrboro 0 Food Waste Eno River Monitor Farmer's $3,765 $3,765 $210,765.0 19.6 4 Market 0 Sustainability Upgrades (Bike Rack and Carrboro $17,000 $17,000** $227,765.0 18.4 5 Charging Arts Center 0 Station element only) 7 203 Project Solar PV Array Town of $268,332.5 and Green Carrboro $178,507 $40,567.50*� 0 17.7 6 Roof Wayfinding Town of $268,332.5 Implementation Chapel Hill $100,000 $0 0 14.9 7 Sustainability Carrboro $268,332.5 Upgrades (Full Arts Center $371,290 $0 0 13.8 8 Project) Total Requested by General Applicants (Funds available $885,562 $268,332.50 for 2021-22: $268,332.50 * All projects, including those that tied in their scoring and those that exceed the funding limit were placed in rank order by CFE and HRC voting. ** The HRC recommended funding only the Bike Rack and Charging Station element of the Carrboro Arts Center. The CFE did not recommend funding any portion of the ArtsCenter application in favor of adding to the partial funding of Carrboro's 203 Project. In addition to providing feedback on the FY 2021-22 round of grant applications, the HRC also made a suggestion regarding an improvement to the scoring rubric used for the grant evaluations. The HRC suggested reducing the weight given to the "Time to Complete" scoring category and adding a point to the "Social Justice/ Racial Equity" category to better reflect the grant program values. Brennan Bouma, Sustainability Coordinator, reviewed the background information for the item and made the following PowerPoint presentation: Slide #1 ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA Community Climate Action Grant Project Selection for FY21-22 October 19, 2021 8 Slide #2 Climate Action Fund — Background • '/4 cent property tax for climate action approved for the 19-20 Budget • Community focus(not operations) • Prioritizes projects with Social Justice and Racial Equity benefits • Current and future projects open to community through grant program Slide #3 Community Climate Action Grant— Overall Timeline 2099 2fl 19.20 Project Creation and CFE 19.20 Project Evaluation and Ranking BOCC-"ieleotion Applicatlora Protect seleatldn Crested and P d Ra Review and Conlraclinp Application 2020.21 and Ranking for Opens for FY21- v� 20- for 21 Funna for gi FY2(1.21 FY'20-21 22 Funds Project Selection Project Review for FY21.22, Projec!Review Project Selection 2021-22 and Ranking for P.ppllcatlon and Ranking for for FY21.22: Opens for FY22• P(22.23 FY22.23 23 Fwds Slide #4 CCAG Eligibility Guidelines • Non-profits, public entities, and small businesses. • All funds must be spent in Orange County. • Must have legal standing to receive funds. • Ongoing projects eligible if expanding or accelerating. • Replacement and repair projects are eligible if not likely to be funded within 5 years. 9 Slide #5 CCAG Scoring Criteria • 25 point scale Social Justice and Racial Equity(5pts) Emissions reduced(4 pts) Efficient use of Funds(4 pts) Capacity of Applicant(3 pts) • Local Economic Development(3 pts) Amount and Duration of Engagement(3 pts) Time to complete(3 pts) Slide #6 CCAG Scoring Criteria • 25 point scale Social Justice and Racial Equity(5pis)+1 • Emissions reduced(4 pts) Efficient use of Funds(4 pts) Capacity of Applicant(3 pts) • Local Economic Development(3 pts) Amount and Duration of Engagement(3 pts) Time to complete(3 pts)-1 Slide #7 Summary Table Irpplkam Fundlne Recommended Runnlruleu�l TfCM4 ail 2Sa WniOu[of7 /Logrcacaa FrrS4iLora p�J aoollualomY Low InmmaMAC AcbuidngTaVmhor SL13.414 5713.LIXr SI13,LA0 22.& L pepleon+r_rt ard+e Triwtile Nelp•t`sfioodEnerMY W rS-M"hk Rarll1wer Profut EnergyAssorlFllon $tii.OM $%FOR $1 B;M.W 22.2 3 IMRPI FoodLhama Manlbor rownoiCarr6nro $*" $.F" Wrow.[a 213.4 3 FxdW;ma Manitar Eno Owl!rFenners g7@5.p} 19.5 + Madrat A,510mbiky Upgrades Candsrro arts I&WRairad[hwSeq C. $17,rdfi Y7Av1•• $23PrM-D] MA S Simian alamam and a09 Profecl SdarPV Tbvn+al Carrhara 5179.107 *+9.St17 17.7 4 Ana ads race Roof Myllndl-e T'Owncd Chapel FLU $Ymxm 5o %MR3N.54 lag 7 Implamammkn 9zIm,shlky Upgrades Candsoro arm $37J,2311 $0 $256,332.5V 13.B t Ifull Profoal Cornar Tnaf Raquactr fE�6ar"Appmmu Vunar 9160.562 $�7P,33QSfl aNaIIFUariar aOPJ-3.ti 332.50 10 Commissioner Richards asked if there is a requirement to complete within a certain time frame, without this scoring criteria. Brennan Bouma said the target for all projects is a one or two year implementation. He said the intention of the Board, upon initial proposal of these scoring criteria and waiting, was to stay open to lots of different kinds of projects. He said there could be a longer running project with higher impacts, and that is baked into the broad eligibility and scoring. He said the point heard form Human Resources Commission (HRC) members was that it is not uncommon for an applicant to put in a 1-2 year time scale, and it is not a hard bar to reach, so it makes sense to take a point from this area for social justice and racial equity. Commissioner Hamilton said she wants to get an understanding of the 203 project and the bike rack. She said both seem to be for projects that have not started, and asked if there is a timeframe for when solar would be put on given the overall project conjections. Brennan Bouma said there of course would need to be a building before the solar installation, and this was a question from the reviewers as well. He said in the application, they said it was likely they would be able to break ground and move forward on project within 2 year time period, but reviewers had questions about whether that was feasible given current labor and material shortages. Commissioner Hamilton said as long as the climate tax exists, money will come in every year. She said to tie up that money, when the project may not start for 2 years, does not make sense to her. She said she would prefer to look at projects that will start within a year in order to have the impact, and then there will be money for projects further out in another funding cycle. Brennan Bouma said there may be benefit to securing money upfront in order to design with the green roof and solar array. He said this is perhaps one reason why they may be applying for this funding early. Steve Arndt, Asset Management Services Director, said the 203 Project design is complete. He said he expects they will start in February or March with site clearing and developing. He said obtaining funding will allow proper planning to occur and ensure it can be installed during course of construction. Chair Price asked if there was discussion as to why the HRC wanted to take a point away from time to complete rather than just adding a point to social justice and racial equity and making it a 26 point scale. Brennan Bouma said he believes their intention was to stay within the 25 point scale provided. Commissioner Greene said 25 looks like a good number to work with, but there was internal discussion of different numbers at different times. She said it would not bother her if the scale was out of 26 points instead of 25, to keep the points for time to complete, but is also happy to honor the HRC's recommendation. Chair Price said she is concerned about diminishing the importance of time to complete. Commissioner Fowler asked if it would be a one year time frame for the food waste monitors. Brennan Bouma said yes. Commissioner Fowler asked if, it proves to be beneficial, the applicants would find other funding or apply again. Brennen Bouma said yes. Commissioner Fowler asked if the 203 Project is the project that is also partially the library. Brennan Bouma said yes. Steve Ardnt said yes, it is the library and the skills center. 11 Commissioner Fowler asked if reviewers gave feedback about the requests that were not recommended for funding related to that project. Chair Price said there were comments that some of the items should just be part of the design anyway. Commissioner Fowler said the county had to say no to some of the things because, all together, it is beyond what is affordable, and what the county builds goes into debt service. She said this does seem like a reasonable use to her, and Brennan Bouma has said this is about community ideas. She said it does bring out the idea that the County, schools, and other government entities cannot always afford extra things that would actually be beneficial for cliamte action. She said she is not opposed to funding things like this with this resource, and hopes the schools will think creatively in applying for this funding. Chair Price said the abstract mentions interest from private entities but in the end they did not apply. She asked if private entities identified a reason for this. Brennan Bouma said the private entity expressing interest was brought into the conversation by one of the community advocates pulling together the Neighborhood Energy Resiliency Project. He said the administration of a grant program was beyond the interest of the private entity. He said at that point, the neighborhood advocate contacted the NC sustainability association. Chair Price said it would be good to try to continue gathering those explanantions in case the funding is expanded to additonal groups in the future and the process can be made easier for them. She said other than that, she was impressed by the innovative ideas. She said it seems, without the eprogram, they may not have happened or would have taken longer to do. Commissioner Bedford said she appreciates the advisory boards who scored the projects and agrees with their recommendations. She said she is happy to go to 26 points as a solution to putting more emphasis on social justice aspect. She asked if solar was part of the original design for the 203 project. Steve Arndt said it has been under consideration throughout the design, but due to budgetary constraints was listed as an alternate if funding was available. He said he mentioned this grant to the Town of Carrboro, and recommended applying. Commissioner Bedford asked if the amount is enough to cover both the solar and green roof. Steve Arndt said he thinks this will be enough to fund both. Commissioner Bedford said hopefully the Town will get this amount and can apply again in two weeks for the next round of funding. Steve Arndt said yes, because the project will extend over time. Commissioner Bedford asked if the payback period for solar panels is known. Steve Arndt said payback period has continued to go down over the years, and is under a 10 year payback now. Commissioner Bedford said she wants to support these recommendations and if the County Manager wanted to bring a budget amendment to fully fund the ask from other capital funds she would be supportive. Steve Ardnt said okay. Commissioner Greene said this is a very thoughtful set of recommendations to a very excellent set of proposals, and she is glad the advisory boards score them because they bring important perspective. She said money is going towards projects that those who initally supported the tax wanted to see it do: projects that mitiage climate change, that would not otherwise be possible due to a lack of funding. She said she is happy to endorse the recommendations, and adding the additional point to the rubric. 12 Commissioner Hamilton said would love to see the numbers about how greenhouse gas is decreasing over the years in future reports. She said it is helpful to track the impact of the efforts. She said it would also be helpful to have a brief summary of currently funded projects and how they are going and how much greenhouse gas was produced locally. She said this will provide important perspective and assurance that the efforts are well directed. She said she also agrees with increasing scale to 26 points to add an additional point to social justice category. A motion was made by Commissioner Greene, seconded by Commissioner Bedford, to approve funding for the recommended Community Climate Action Grant projects for FY 2021- 22; and increase the possible score total to 26 to add one point to "Social Justice/ Racial Equity" in future rounds of grant funding. Roll call ensued VOTE: UNANMIOUS Commissioner Fowler said these are all good projects, and she would still like to have greater impact with future projects. Chair Price asked for a report of projects funded in the past. b. Establishment of a Schools Capital Needs Work Group The Board considered establishing a Schools Capital Needs Work Group to review, consider and prioritize the capital needs for the Orange County Schools (OCS) district and the Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS) district. BACKGROUND: At the May 18, 2021 Board of Orange County Commissioners (BOCC) Business meeting, a petition was submitted by Commissioner Jean Hamilton, supported by Commissioner Earl McKee, that a Work Group be established to review, consider and prioritize the school districts' capital needs as well as budget requests. The proposed Work Group will consist of Board of Education members from both districts, members of the Orange County Board of Commissioners, school staff from both districts and County staff to develop a plan to address both districts on-going capital needs, repairs and renovation projects. The attached indicates the specific proposed membership slots for the Schools Capital Needs Work Group. Bonnie Hammersley reviewed the background information for this item. Commissioner Hamilton said there are school needs that have not been addressed that affect the health and wellbeing of students. She said, since it was her petition, she will volunteer to serve and work collaboratively with the schools to create a plan. She said that it is unlikely that they will have enough money to get everything done, but she anticipates getting a better idea of what is needed and what should be prioritized. Commissioner McKee nominated Commissioner Hamilton to serve on the work group. Commissioner Bedford nominated Chair Price to serve to have representation from both District 1 and 2. Commissioner Greene agreed with the nominations and seconded the motion. 13 A motion was made by Commissioner McKee, seconded by Commissioner Greene to approve the establishment of the Schools Capital Needs Work Group as outlined above and approve the membership detailed on the attached list; appoint Commissioner Hamilton to serve on the Work Group with the Board Chair; and direct the County Manager to coordinate with the School Superintendents to schedule the first meeting of the Work Group. Roll call ensued VOTE: UNANIMOUS Commissioner Richards indicated that October 22 is Brennan Bouma's last day with Orange County before beginning his new position with Chapel Hill. She commended him for his outstanding service, speaking as a Commissioner, as well as a community member and someone who worked with him in that manner. She said Brennan Bouma is an outstanding County employee, with exemplary commitment, knowledge, and a personable and patient attitude. She said she is sorry to see him leave, but wanted to go on record to thank him for his work and wish him the best in his career. Commissioner Fowler seconded all of those accolades and said Brennan Bouma has been generous with his time to discuss climate action. She said she would also like to volunteer for the committee to review the climate council that was discussed earlier on in the meeting. She asked if the County Manager has a plan to fill Brennan Bouma's shoes. Bonnie Hammersley said there is currently a hiring freeze in county government. She said all vacancies are evaluated. She said this position is under the supervision of the Asset Management Services Director, who has been asked to review the job description to determine if changes need to occur. She said the position will then go in the queue for prioritization with all the other open positions in the County, but in mean time, the AMS Director and Manager's Office will cover the duties. Commissioner Fowler said she hopes Brennan Bouma heard all of the accolades. Brennan Bouma said he did, and expressed thanks to the Board. Chair Price said expressed gratitude to Brennan Bouma. c. Establishment of a Library Services Task Force The Board considered establishing a Library Services Task Force to collaborate on issues relating to the Town of Chapel Hill and Orange County library funding and inter- operability. BACKGROUND: On August 31, 2021, Town of Chapel Hill Mayor Pam Hemminger sent a letter to BOCC Chair Renee Price informing her that the Chapel Hill Public Library Advisory Board had submitted a petition (attached) to the Town Council requesting the formation of a task force to work on issues relating to library funding and inter-operability. On September 28, 2012, the Town of Chapel Hill and the County entered into an inter-local agreement (attached) regarding the funding of the Chapel Hill Municipal Library and improved interoperability of library services. The inter-local agreement between Orange County and Chapel Hill expired in 2017. In early 2015, a work group met to discuss the terms of the inter- local agreement as well as pro-actively renew the agreement. The work group was unsuccessful at revising or renewing the agreement due to the uncertainty of how the construction to replace the existing Orange County Southern Branch Library system would impact library services in Southern Orange County. 14 The letter from the Town of Chapel Hill Mayor requests that the Task Force include the following individuals: • Chapel Hill's Library Director • Town of Chapel Hill Library Advisory Board Chair • Friends of Chapel Hill Library Board Chair, and • the Town Council's Liaison To balance out the Task Force, the County would appoint: • Orange County Library Director • Friends of the Orange County Library Board Chair • Friends of the Carrboro Library Board Chair, and • a BOCC Liaison In addition, Mayor Hemminger's letter requests the hiring a trained facilitator to help lead these discussions and process, with financial responsibility shared between the Town of Chapel Hill and the County. Bonnie Hammersley reviewed the background information for this item. Commissioner Fowler said she would be in support of, and is willing to serve on, this task force. She said she would support sharing the cost of a facilitator if there is a way to cover those funds. Commissioner Greene said Chapel Hill has wanted to have this conversation for a while and she thinks it is time, since more is known about how the new Southern Branch Library is going to shake out. She said this task force structure is different than the old structure, in that it has more staff and less elected officials, but she is fine with that. She said she does not think a mediator is necessary, but if the town insists on one, she thinks it is okay for the county to share cost, but she does not see a need for it. Chair Price said she would like to try it without a facilitator, as other than taking notes, the group is small enough to operate without a facilitator. She said if Chapel Hill wants one, maybe it should cover the costs. She said she is optimistic the work can be done without hiring a facilitator. Commissioner McKee asked Commissioner Greene to confirm that the task force did not have a facilitator when they served on the 2012 committee. Commissioner Greene said there was no facilitator and the task force included three elected officials from each body who just had a conversation with each other. Commissioner McKee said there was never a lot of discussion about whether the County should support the facility, but to what extent there would be crossover between the County and Town libraries and interactions between them. He said he is not sure there will be any need for a facilitator, and this group should all be able to sit down with the understanding that this cooperation is a need and benefit to the County as a whole. He said he is not sure what a facilitator would accomplish. Commissioner Fowler said she is fine without a facilitator, and was just being agreeable to the Town's recommendation. A motion was made by Commissioner Greene, seconded by Commissioner Hamilton, to designate Commissioner Fowler to serve as the Board's Liaison on the Task Force. Commissioner Hamilton said one difference from the previous task force is the addition of the Southern Branch Library, which may demonstrate the need for a facilitator. 15 Chair Price said this additional library has been a part of the conversation for many years. Roll call ensued VOTE: UNANIMOUS A motion was made by Commissioner Bedford, seconded by Commissioner McKee, to approve the establishment of the Library Services Task Force, appoint the County representatives as outlined above; direct the Task Force to provide an Interim Report to the Board of Commissioners by April 1, 2022; move forward without hiring a facilitator; and direct the County Manager to coordinate with the Town Manager to schedule the first meeting of the Task Force. Roll call ensued VOTE: UNANIMOUS d. Change in BOCC Meeting Schedule for 2021 The Board considered changes to the Board of Commissioners' meeting calendar for 2021. BACKGROUND: Pursuant to North Carolina General Statute 153A-40, the Board of County Commissioners must fix the time and place of its meetings or provide a notice of any change in the Meeting Schedule. Due to current public health concerns, it is proposed that the Board of Commissioners conduct virtual business meetings during the months of November and December 2021. Members of the Board of Commissioners would participate in the business meetings remotely. As in prior meetings, members of the public would be able to view and listen to the meeting via online streaming video or on Spectrum Cable TV. The meetings would be streamed in real-time on the County's website for public viewing/listening, real-time broadcast on Spectrum Cable, and video-recorded for future television broadcast and reference on the County's website. It is also proposed that the virtual Business meeting scheduled for November 2, 2021 be rescheduled to November 4, 2021. Additionally, it is proposed that the November 11, 2021 work session scheduled to take place at the Southern Human Services Center be relocated to the Whitted Building at 300 W. Tryon St. in Hillsborough. The work session would be conducted in-person and attendees would be required to wear masks and to remain socially distanced from others. November 2021 Meetings November 4 BOCC Virtual Business Meeting — 7:00 pm November 11 BOCC Work Session at the Whitted Building — 7:00 pm November 16 BOCC Virtual Business Meeting — 7:00 pm 16 December 2021 Meetings December 6 BOCC Virtual Business Meeting — 7:00 pm December 14 BOCC Virtual Business Meeting — 7:00 pm Chair Price said there was discussion on moving the November 2 meeting to November 4, due to municipal Election Day. She said she talked to Manager, and there are not many agenda items for this meeting, so the Board could possibly cancel the meeting, or even have a regular meeting before work session on November 11. Commissioner Fowler asked if the second option could potentially impact meeting in person on November 11, since business meetings allow public comment. Chair Price said the Native American Month Proclamation could be passed onto November 16. She said other items could be approved on November 11. Laura Jensen said the Rules of Procedure indicate that the Board does not take action at work sessions, but could vote to suspend the rules in order to approve a proclamation at their November 11 work session and it would not be considered a business meeting. Chair Price said there are options to make it work. She said the question is whether to come together on November 4 for a short meeting or not. Commissioner Fowler asked if the Board would need to vote to cancel the meeting. Chair Price said yes. Commissioner McKee said he is not in favor of cancelling the November 4 meeting, and thinks the Board should stay with its precedent of meeting on the first and third Tuesdays of the month. He said because of continuing virtual meetings through the end of the year, with exception of the November 11 work session, he will vote against this as a sign of protest. He said public business needs to happen in public. He said children are back at school with masks, the public is back at work, and people are interacting more and more and going to restaurants and social events. He said it is time for the Board to go back to in person meetings, and the Whitted meeting room can be configured safely. Commissioner Hamilton said the Board should hold the November 4 meeting. She said she wants more information on safety of the November 11 meeting. She said she is open to going back in person, but wants to make sure all possibilities and risks have been thought through. Chair Price said the first issue is whether to move November 2 meeting to November 4, and then to determine whether to meet in person through December. Commissioner Greene said she is in favor of meeting virtually on November 4. She joked it might be nice for new members to experience a short meeting. She agreed with Commissioner McKee about keeping the meeting schedule consistent. Chair Price said in the past meetings have been cancelled due to lack of agenda items in order to save time and money; however, she is fine with the meeting being held. She asked the Board for its thoughts on meeting in person for the remainder of the 2021 meetings. Commissioner Hamilton said she thinks the December schedule should be decided after the in person work session on November 11, depending on how the meeting goes. Laura Jensen showed a diagram of the proposed configuration of the Whitted meeting room for the November 11 work session. Commissioner McKee said this diagram is consistent with his vision for the room. Laura Jensen explained the diagram, noting appropriate spacing between attendees. Commissioner Fowler asked if there is a plan for overflow and if all those in attendance will be required to wear masks. Laura Jensen said Quintana Stewart, Public Health Director, advised that all in attendance for meeting wear masks. Chair Price said all Commissioners and guests will be able to be six feet apart. 17 Commissioner Fowler said both precautions are recommended. Laura Jensen said the overflow space is in the hallway outside of the meeting room, consistent with chairs set up for a vaccine clinic held at Whitted. She said the audio of the meeting will play in this area so any overflow attendees can keep up with the meeting. Chair Price said she can vouch for the sound system. Commissioner Bedford said the Clerk should also check where the Sheriff's Deputies would like to be positioned. Laura Jensen said she will follow up on this. She said she has never done in person meetings here, but will make sure the deputies are accounted for. Commissioner Hamilton asked if there will be protocol for people who do not comply with wearing masks. Laura Jensen said, per John Roberts, public health and safety measures can be set for meeting, including mandatory mask wearing. She said she will have masks available for anyone who needs one. She said if people do not comply a Sheriff's Deputy will escort them from meeting room. Commissioner Hamilton asked if there is a plan in place if more than one person refuses to wear a mask. Laura Jensen said she will develop a plan with the Sheriff's Office, and if this is approved tonight, her next call will be to the Sheriff's Office. Chair Price said she can also recess the meeting until folks are in compliance. Commissioner McKee said the Chair does have the ability to stop meeting until decorum is established and request deputies remove anyone who does not comply with guidelines. He said there are additional side rooms off of the main room that could also accommodate any need for overflow. He said the Chair can also ask people to rotate out of the room after speaking to accommodate those in overflow. Commissioner Richards asked if any requirements would be published with notice of the meeting, so anyone attending would have full knowledge of rules of operating. Chair Price said yes. Commissioner McKee said there should be a public announcement on television and radio, so that everyone can know the rules. Chair Price asked if the Public Health Director is recommending masks be kept on while speaking as well. Laura Jensen said the recommendation is to wear masks throughout the meeting, since the virus spreads during speech. Commissioner Richards asked for a reminder of the Clerk's email about the Governor's declaration of State of Emergency. Laura Jensen said the BOCC can meet virtually due to Governor's state of emergency declaration, which has been extended through the end of November. She said if it is not extended again, the Board will have to move back to in person business meetings. She said one advantage to moving to in person work sessions, earlier than required, is it enables staff to work out any issues before being required to return in person for business meetings, which are more heavily attended. Commissioner Richards reiterated the reason the Board can meet virtually is because of the declaration, but the Board is not prohibited from meeting in person. Laura Jensen said yes, and some surrounding communities are already meeting in person. Commissioner Hamilton reminded the Board that the mask mandate is based on local Orange County rules, and the Board decides when that is lifted. She suggested that staff speak with school superintendents, to get an idea of what their experience has been meeting in person and help get better prepared. 18 Laura Jensen said this will be part of the conversation. A motion was made by Commissioner Richards, seconded by Commissioner Fowler, to move November 2 meeting to November 4; hold the November 11 work session in person at the Whitted Building; and hold the November 16 Business meeting and two business meetings in December virtually. Roll call ensued VOTE: Ayes, 6 (Commissioner Bedford, Commissioner Fowler, Commissioner Greene, Commissioner Hamilton, Commissioner Richards, Chair Price); Nays, 1 (Commissioner McKee) e. Approval of Board of Commissioners Meeting Calendar for Year 2022 The Board considered approval of the meeting schedule for the Board of Commissioners for calendar year 2022. BACKGROUND: In accordance with North Carolina General Statute 143-318.12, a schedule of regular meetings shall be filed with the Clerk to the Board of County Commissioners. The schedule must show the date, time, and place of each meeting. Commissioner McKee said he is sorry to sound like a broken record, but there is no excuse to not be in person in January, otherwise the kids should not be in school. Commissioner Fowler said she takes Commissioner McKee's point, but it would be nice to see what happens with COVID in the winter, given how the Delta variant changed things in the summer. She asked if this calendar has to be voted on tonight, or if it was approved, could it be changed. Laura Jensen said the calendar is usually approved at this time, and it is important for departments that schedule public hearings, etc. with Commissioners. She said it would be good to have the dates established for the meetings tonight, and the locations can be changed at any time. She said this is all predicated on whether or not Governor extends state of emergency past November. She said if the calendar is approved as recommended with the first three months of the year virtual, she may have to come back to the Board in early January anyway to change all locations to in person. She said it is always a possibility to change location and date so long as she can provide sufficient public notice. Commissioner Greene said she had the same question as Commissioner Fowler. She said she does not know why a decision has to be made night, and the County has never been in COVID before, and she wonders if staff can bear with Commissioners and live with uncertainty as Commissioners are doing. She said she is very supportive of the retreat being in person, but does not know why decisions have to be made tonight about January and February. Chair Price asked if the Board can just approve the dates for the time being. Commissioner Richards said she is wondering the same thing. Commissioner Greene said she thought the question was whether to be virtual or not. Chair Price said in approving the calendar, the Board is deciding the dates. Commissioner Greene asked if the dates can be approved without deciding whether they are virtual or not. Laura Jensen said state law requires the Board to fix the date, time, and location of all of its meetings. She said if the Board decides not to establish a location at this time, staff would likely bring this item back at first business meeting in December for a decision. She said either 19 way, a change will have to be made. She said staff can certainly live with uncertainty and have gotten used to that. She said staff will make whatever the Board wants work. Chair Price said even if the dates are decided today, the location can be decided in December. A motion was made by Commissioner Hamilton, seconded by Commissioner McKee, to approve the dates of the BOCC's 2022 meeting calendar as written, with all meetings in person beginning in January. Commissioner Hamilton said the Board should commit to in person, and can change to virtual if necessary. Commissioner Richards said she was going to suggest the same thing. She said the messaging is better to say the Board wants to meet in person and only change back to virtual with a clear reason. Commissioner Fowler said she is also willing to do that, but would have preferred to approve as written with January and February virtual and then move to in person depending on what happens in the winter. She said masks and distancing will be crucial, and she would like to see the opportunity for children to be vaccinated first, but she is willing to try the way it has been suggested. Commissioner Bedford said March 8, 2022 is the primary election and made a friendly amendment to Commissioner Hamilton's motion for that meeting to be moved to March 10. Commissioner Hamilton and Commissioner McKee accepted the friendly amendment from Commissioner Bedford. Laura Jensen said the proposed motion would make the meetings at the following locations: January 18, 2022 meeting at the Whitted Building, January 25 at the Whitted Building, February 1 Business Meeting at Whitted Building, and February 17 Work Session at Southern Human Services Center. She said the meeting with the School Boards on February 22 would be at the Whitted Building. Commissioner Bedford asked if the Assembly of Governments (AOG) meeting is safe to hold in person at Whitted. Laura Jensen said this meeting will push the 33 attendees limit, and that is a reason why that one was originally listed as virtual. Chair Price recalled the AOG for 2021 was cancelled. She suggested the Chairs and Vice Chairs of the elected bodies could get together if issues need to be discussed. Commissioner Bedford said some members might be able to sit in different rooms. Chair Price said it can be approved as is, and changed if needed. Commissioner Greene said she is not in favor of cancelling this meeting even if it has to be done virtually. Chair Price said she is not suggesting cancelling it, but just remembered it was cancelled for 2021. Commissioner McKee reminded the Board this is all fluid because the Governor can change his declaration. He said if it turns out a meeting will not work in person, the Board can always change the calendar. Commissioner Fowler asked if the Clerk will send an updated calendar to reflect the changes. Laura Jensen said yes, and will also send a 12-month color-coded calendar with all of the meetings and locations listed. Commissioner Richards asked if the meetings have been held elsewhere besides the Whitted building or Southern Human Services Center. Commissioner McKee said meetings have been held in the community a few times. 20 Commissioner Richards asked if it would be possible to meet in a community space for a meeting if space is an issue. Chair Price said yes, that is possible, and the Board needs to be creative. Roll call ensued VOTE: UNANIMOUS 7. Reports a. Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness —2021 Data Update The Board reviewed updated data about homelessness in Orange County submitted to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) earlier this year. BACKGROUND: The Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness (OCPEH) was created in 2008 to coordinate funding and activities to end homelessness in Orange County. OCPEH is jointly funded by Orange County (39%) and the Towns of Carrboro (15%), Chapel Hill (41%), and Hillsborough (5%). OCPEH Manager Rachel Waltz will present the updated data and discuss how current data relate to identified gaps in the homeless service system. Corey Root introduced Rachel Waltz, Homeless Programs Manager. She said she is a licensed clinical social worker with over 15 years' experience working in housing instability. She said Waltz was hired as the Homeless Program Coordinator in April 2021, and became the manager for the program when Corey Root became the Housing and Community Development Director. She said Waltz worked in the VA in Durham, the Bronx, as well as UNC Center for Excellence in Community Mental Health. Rachel Waltz made the following PowerPoint presentation: Slide #1 �1,i, �C COLI�Il\' Partr[ efship[b 1f'�- End Homelessness 2021 Homelessness Data Review October 19,2021 Rachel Waltz said this presentation is lightly adapted from one done for community service providers and stakeholders in August. She continued the PowerPoint presentation: 21 Slide #2 How many people experiencing homelessness? a p „- I�1H rso.r! rep Rachel Waltz said other questions are: -What is known about people experiencing homelessness in Orange County? -What is known about people exiting homelessness in community? She said the report is based on two sets of data: the Point in Time Count conducted annually and the System Performance Measures, which captures data submitted through September 2020. She resumed the PowerPoint presentation: Slide #3 Orange County Point-in-Time (PIT)count numbers increased significantly PO I NT-IN-TIM E COUNT DATA 2017-2021 1S0 100 ■s�e.r,aa ■uw+rKra 50 iii'� xn/ !„i i19F i1Q1 `t Parzriershipp ro �FnJ Hamerexn�s 22 Slide #4 5ubpopulations are seeing different outcomes • Steady decreases for families • Veterans flat lined • Most chronic homeless identified since 2010 35 #❑imnuhbmekm �0 f f3mies 25 1• HornelessYelerans 24 15 10 S mar ame 2aII 2-am jai Rachel Waltz said many gains in addressing chronic homelessness were lost over the past year. She said a Street Outreach Team was developed in the Fall 2020, which may account for some of this increase as more people are connected with the system. She said there continued to be around 10 veterans homeless in Orange County, despite significant investments from the VA and other service providers. She heard concerning news from service providers that intimate partner violence is increasing and people are staying in unsafe situations longer because of lack of access. She resumed the PowerPoint presentation: Slide #5 PIT counted 176 peopte on one right,haw many in 12 months? �� Peopplrmterinq lIA sheFter and 2 � hausln9P�ro9rimr d 25! _! r 220 EhNamele�ssneu fnr s��205 '�hopkxnNnorcaw■hN•ce��fhigealnbh3hr • %total that experienced homelessnessfor the first time 2020 2024 65% 72% 63% 75% 79% • Shelter Transitional Housing, & Permanent Housing • Homeless for first time=no entries for 24 months prior Rachel Waltz said staff is starting to see the percentage of people experiencing homelessness increasing, for the first time, after a previous period of decreasing. She resumed the PowerPoint presentation: 23 Slide #6 What ar we know about people experiencing raR�'rsi;�p'ro 4�4( Ho�..Oresshk5 Slide #7 There have not been significant changes in MOST demographic categories s� HOUSEHOLDTYK AGE ■�fm:ay �naadk ■f.mn �rrdr..� ■nu 0% GENDER r w. �TrgeN-B [rMn w..rawn.y Rachel Waltz said youth homelessness increased from 2% to 8% over past the year. She resumed the PowerPoint presentation: Slide #8 5%of people exp.homelessness are Latinx compared with 9%in overall population ETHNICITY %of tepkDpeAm[kgXemek5NR AOr»geCam4 SN %orVMpk In Cnngt 0U"@Urdfl a Rachel Waltz said staff is exploring ways to insure all resources are made available in multiple languages. She resumed the PowerPoint presentation: 24 Slide #9 67%of people exp.homelessness are Black/African American—5.5x general pop 1UKE .... .......... Rachel Waltz said staff has seen a further exacerbation of gap in representation due to COVID-19. She resumed the PowerPoint presentation: Slide #10 o• are people '1`'�.'•f E.d Hw.ereaNas Slide #11 Length of time homeless large and increasing 741 M%TMIIw,MmWfEM, M111MMMAM.iw 7/1 wurer9bda9 337 131 .� avenge eey „ 56] � i10 11 � .nvop•rar • Shelter,Transitional Shelter& Housing,&Permanent Transitional Housing Housing only • Includes approximate date program entry to of hcmelessness exit Rachel Waltz said the HUD goal is that someone experiencing homelessness can access services in 90 days. She said the median number of days of someone experiencing homelessness is currently close to one year, and average is close to two years. She said the length of time in programs is decreasing after increasing in past years, which is a good sign. 25 She said transitional housing and rapid rehousing services have been particularly impactful in recent months. She resumed the PowerPoint presentation: Slide #12 A bright point.Returns are low and continue to decrease % homd o Auto ad as to .4,qiS MM11111=11111mr- Nan MIA 11% 43% 6% 14% Shd. F- 4an k_.I 0% 0% 26% A% 3W W1,1 y eerm.em o% 3% 3% ion 3n Exited NO q Oct.2017- TdA iox 6x ie% saps.2019 q.mm, ion 9n to ®®®®® Permanent housing Rachel Waltz said the HUD goal is to have fewer than 20% of people who exit to permanent housing return to homelessness within 2 years, and this is currently 9% in Orange County. She resumed the PowerPoint presentation: Slide #13 Next up:fiffing homeless system gaps C. Slide #14 So many pandemic response changes affect homeless data—many successes! •Noncongregate&expanded shelter •$7 million in rent&utility assistance -New programs:SDHRAD,Rapid Re- housing, Housing Helpline, Housing Stability -Tighter collaboration with healthcare system '� frlill l��nlr�,fir,- 26 Slide #15 Otherpandemic responses created challenges -Decreased in-person services -Coordination and collaboration had to happen in different ways and with different people Gaps exacerbated End HomeTZ— Slide #16 Orange County has significant gaps in the homeless service system. 14 current yaps •Housing:Rapid Re-housing,Permanent Supportive Housing,Youth housing,Landlord Incentive Program, Housing Locator,Household goods •Services—Temporary Housing:Accessible housing- focused shelter,Medical respite,Bridge housing Services—Connections:Housing Helpline,Sober Center, Integrated service center Services—Dignity:24-hour bathroom access,Memorial service fundin g —. 1l raa�shyp 6 End HwnHeaneu Slide #17 Please let me know if I can present to your group,or provide further info Rachel Waltz rwa Itz@ora ngecou ntyncgov (919)245-2495 y iaii sh1P Commissioner Fowler asked if the percentage of people with mental health conditions, substance abuse, or intellectual/developmental disabilities experiencing homelessness is known. Rachel Waltz said HUD collects data on these items, but Orange County does not require people to answer these questions. Corey Root said the information is collected and more can be provided. She said this information is not always the best because it is based on how people identify versus clinical diagnoses. She said these should not be considered firm statistics. Commissioner Fowler said it could be helpful in informing the gaps analysis. 27 Commissioner Greene asked about the gap for the housing locator and thought that position had already been funded. Rachel Waltz said the Housing Access Coordinator position was funded, which focuses 80% of time on system level issues like landlord recruitment and retention, building collaboration to increase affordable housing stock in the community that is willing to partner with rental subsidies, etc. She said this position spends the remaining 20% of its time is dedicated to individualized housing searches for people with multiple barriers. She said a Housing Locator position would strictly provide the individualized housing search. Commissioner Greene said this position originated at Community Empowerment Fund (CEF) and got transferred to the county. Rachel Waltz said that part is currently happening, and Christopher Jackson came on board the end of June and he engages in the landlord recruitment and reaches out to landlords and builds relationships. She said he came from the Durham Housing Authority, and is focused on providing high quality rentals. Commissioner Greene asked if the difference between the Housing Access and Housing Locator positions could be explained. Rachel Waltz said the locator would have an individualized role with people searching for housing. She said the Current Housing Access Coordinator is only able to do a portion of that. Commissioner Greene recalled a past presentation from Corey Root where then Commissioner Dorosin asked how much money would be required to fund the gaps and therefore end homelessness in Orange County, but then COVID happened and it got lost. She asked if staff can reestablish what amount of money it would take to end homelessness in Orange County and begin that conversation again with colleagues in municipalities. Rachel Waltz said the OCPEH Leadership Team will vote on whether or not to adopt the updated gaps analysis at its November meeting and will present that information to the BOCC thereafter. Corey Root said staff is also working on updated gaps numbers for American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. Commissioner Richards said there are a couple of gaps that community partners may be able to help fill, and asked if that is factored into the gaps analysis. She said the reentry project involved churches that came forward willing to provide goods and services to help people. Corey Root said there are lots of different entities and people needed to fill these gaps. Commissioner Richards asked if there is an outreach person who does that in terms of community organization. Corey Root said she and Rachel Waltz do that, plus service providers. She said these gaps are a galvanizing tool for the community. She said there has been success in partnering with community organizations to address the gaps, and highlighted some examples. Commissioner Hamilton asked if the percentage of newly homeless is increasing because of job losses as result of COVID is known. She asked where the newly homeless are coming from within the County, and how mental health and domestic violence play a factor. She said this type of information helps Board understand what is needed and how much. She asked if there is a reason why there is not 24-hour bathroom access, and where, when, how, they could exist. She asked if other communities have addressed this need successfully. Corey Root said there was a task force pre-COVID with the Town of Chapel Hill to discuss public bathrooms for all residents. She said these bathrooms need to be in downtown Chapel Hill or Carrboro, preferably with a shower option. She said there was a pilot project that was set to move forward in March 2020, which needs to be picked back up. Commissioner Hamilton asked if funding was identified for the pilot project. 28 Corey Root said it was going to be an ask from Town of Chapel Hill, for a fancy port-a- potty with some tracking technology to understand how often it is used, etc. Chair Price referred to the return to homelessness within 2 years, and asked if some particular happened in 2019 to make the percentage so low and then go back up in 2020 and 2021. Rachel Waltz said that is actually the number exited from homelessness to permanent housing, not people returning to homelessness. Chair Price asked if there is an idea of the number of people who will always be homeless, because it is their choice or preference. Rachel Waltz said this is a common question, but no one wants to be homeless; however, shelter comes with a set of conditions that most people would not want for themselves. She said permanent supportive housing is a best practice that has been around for 40 years now, and is designated for people who have experienced chronic homeless and have a self-identified disability. She said there is large amount of research that people who are permanently housed have better health outcomes, less interaction with criminal justice system, more night housed, etc. Commissioner McKee exited the meeting at 9:35 pm Chair Price said there are people who just will not be housed for whatever reason, whether to do with mental illness, or they just reject housing and would rather be homeless. She asked if there is an idea of the percentage in this community. She said she did know one person who preferred to camp in the woods, and did not want permanent housing. She said in other locales, there are some people who remain homeless no matter what staff does, Corey Root said it used to be acceptable in the field to say that some people just want to be homeless and that is that; but now, in the work, there are a lot of people who are hard to house, have barriers to housing entry and housing maintenance. She said there are no people in this community who staff is not trying to continue to house, even if the answer is repeatedly no. She said staff continues to have conversations about housing with people who may have previously declined. She said if housing is offered with optional high quality case management, where people can be in their own space and set their own rules, it is irresistible. She said this is true nationwide as well. Chair Price said she is glad to hear this. Commissioner Greene said staff has always told her that if there are people who are "choosing" to be homeless, it is not really their position, and it is the failure of the providers to be reaching their needs. She said it used to be the broader feeling that some people prefer to be homeless, or are unhelp-able, but there is more of an understanding that if one works hard enough at it, people do want to be helped. 8. Consent Agenda • Removal of Any Items from Consent Agenda Items 8-i and 8-j were moved from the consent agenda to the regular agenda at the start of the meeting. Commissioner Bedford asked to pull item 8-h from the consent agenda for discussion. Commissioner McKee returned to the meeting at 9:40 pm. 29 A motion was made by Commissioner McKee, seconded by Commissioner Fowler, to approve the remaining consent agenda. Roll call ensued VOTE: UNANMIOUS Approval of Remaining Consent Agenda a. Minutes The Board approved the minutes from the September 14, 2021 Virtual Business Meeting. b. Fiscal Year 2021-22 Budget Amendment#2 The Board considered approved budget, grant, and capital project ordinance amendments for fiscal year 2021-22. c. Approval of Financing Arrangements for Orange Rural Fire Department to Construct a New Fire/EMS Station The Board approved Orange Rural Fire Department (ORFD) entering into a financing arrangement for the construction of the fire portion of a joint fire/EMS station in the Waterstone community of Hillsborough and authorize the BOCC Chair to sign the appropriate documents related to the financing arrangements. d. Development Agreement between Orange County and Orange Rural Fire Department for a New Fire/EMS Station The Board approved a Development Agreement between Orange Rural Fire Department (ORFD) and Orange County; and considered authorizing the County Manager to execute the Agreement upon final review by the County Attorney. e. Amendments to the Orange County Code of Ordinances, Section 14-1- Fire, to Adopt All Optional Operational Permits as Identified in the NC Fire Prevention Code, Section 105 The Board approved a resolution, which is incorporated by reference, amending the Orange County Code of Ordinances, Section14-1- Fire, to adopt all Optional Operational Permits as identified in the NC Fire Prevention Code, Section 105. f. Renewal of the Expiring Three-Year Interlocal Agreement between Orange County and the Town of Chapel Hill to Continue the Joint Funding for the "LAUNCH, Inc." Small Business Incubator The Board renewed the current three-year Interlocal Agreement between Orange County and the Town of Chapel Hill that financially supports the LAUNCH, Inc. entrepreneurial small business incubator. g. Approval of a Lease for the Historic Norwood Law Office — 135 Court St., Hillsborough, to the Preservation Fund of Hillsborough, Inc. The Board approved a three-year lease agreement with the Preservation Fund of Hillsborough, Inc., for the historic Norwood Law Office, built c. 1830; and considered authorizing the Chair to sign the Resolution for Lease, and the Manager to sign the Lease Agreement upon final review by the County Attorney. h. Approval of the Management Services Agreement for the Piedmont Food Processing Center The Board approved a management services agreement between Piedmont Food Processing Center (PFPC) which establishes a legal agreement under which the County can continue working with and supporting PFPC to provide shared kitchen incubator services. • Discussion and Approval of the Items Removed from the Consent Agenda 30 Commissioner Bedford petitioned for there to be a presentation at a work session in the future to include information about PFPC and its operations, so the Board has more information. She said she realizes that data pulled right now is not necessarily accurate, due to the pandemic. She said staff might need a longer time frame, and she would like to let the Manager work with Executive Director, Eric Hallman, to determine when to gather a good data set. She said having data that can take a longer, deeper view. She proposed changing the contract to 2 years, as 5 years is a long time. Commissioner Fowler said she likes the idea of getting data, and knowing what percentage of clients are going on to other successful venues. She said PFPC is supposed to serve as an incubator, and having an update on it would be useful. Commissioner Greene said she is the Board's representative on this board of directors. She said her sense is that the BOD would welcome the opportunity to share more information as well as observations of the board's composition. She said these are known needs, and the BOD welcomes the criticism and opportunity to explain the history of the board. She said there are only a few clients who stay for a long period of time, and most move on successfully. She said two years is a reasonable amount of time. Chair Price said it is always good to look at and review entities for any potential changes. Eric Hallman said he appreciates what Commissioner Bedford brought up. He said the goal with the contract would be to present to the Board regularly. He said he hopes to have two commissioners at a time come to facility, as it is well known nationally. He said entrepreneurship is the way to do economic development. He said the reason this came up fast is because the Golden Leaf foundation gave a grant, and one condition was to have an agreement in place. He said PFPC planned to come present to the Board, but the timeline from Golden Leaf was pushed forward as it was going to rescind the money. He said that is why this item is on the consent agenda without any background information. He said the facility is amazing, creating revenue as well as jobs. He said the county supports with free rent, but no operational costs. A motion was made by Commissioner Bedford, seconded by Commissioner Greene, to approve a management services agreement between Piedmont Food Processing Center (PFPC), amended for a term of two years. Roll call ensued VOTE: UNANMIOUS 9. County Manager's Report Bonnie Hammersley brought attention to census item on consent agenda. She said there is an information item that looks more closely at Orange County and NC census results. She said another information item includes the status of 2016 Bond Referendum projects from both school districts. 10. County Attorney's Report John Roberts said the General Assembly has been focused on redistricting, and he anticipates a flood of bills to be passed by legislature after they get this issue dealt with. Commissioner Richards asked if there is any information about how school funding will increase based on the decision of the Leandro v. State of North Carolina. Chair Price said the schools have an idea of what they may receive. 31 Travis Myren said he will provide that information to the Commissioners. 11. *Appointments NONE 12. Information Items • October 5, 2021 BOCC Meeting Follow-up Actions List • Memorandum — Report on 2020 Census Results in Orange County • Memorandum Regarding 2016 School Bond Referendum Projects 13. Closed Session None 14. Adjournment A motion was made by Commissioner Fowler, seconded by Commissioner McKee, to adjourn the meeting at 9:54 p.m. Roll call ensued VOTE: UNANMIOUS Renee Price, Chair Tara May Deputy Clerk to the Board Submitted for approval by Laura Jensen, Clerk to the Board.