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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 03-10-2022 Work Session 1 APPROVED 415/22 MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WORK SESSION March 10, 2022 7:00 p.m. The Orange County Board of Commissioners met for a Work Session on Thursday, March 10, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Renee Price, Vice Chair Jamezetta Bedford, and Commissioners Sally Greene, Jean Hamilton, Earl McKee and Anna Richards COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: Commissioner Amy Fowler 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 Board of County Commissioners meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Commissioner Amy Fowler was absent. Chair Price asked for a motion to amend the agenda to include a discussion of the process for state of emergency declarations. Commissioner Hamilton made a motion to add an item about state of emergency declarations, and Commissioner Bedford seconded the motion. VOTE: UNANIMOUS Travis Myren, Deputy County Manager, made the following presentation: Slide #1 ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA Emergency Declaration Summary 9aM 4f pCi ip;*wmy C9mmiii413 Worts Sn I*n March 10,2020 t 2 Slide #2 Authority NWh Carolina General Statutes — Municipalities and cmrdies may make emergency declarations May delegate dectaratlon aulhanty to Mayor or Chalr Chapter 14—Orange County Code of Ordinances Describes emergency skuallons — Detaits the types of restrictions Delegates resporslhHlty to Ctralr wlkh line of swcesslon ORANGE COUNTY NOFM I CAROLINA Slide #3 Purpose for Declarations • Operational Necessity for Rapid Response — Activates Orange County Emergency Operations Plan for infernal coordination Activates the Emergency Operatlons Center — Authorizes County Manager to tatte necessary aelfwt to protect lives and PwArtV Prerequisite for Federal and StateAssistancePragrams — Required once per incident No standing dectwahon needed io continue to quallfy for*rribursern"I ORANGE COUNTY WFM I CAROLINA 3 Slide #4 Declaring and Amending Emergency Services Recommendation wQnSUltatlQn with subject matter experts Draft deciarahon with County Attomey's Office County Manager Recommendation Chair of Board of Commissioners Executes Amending Emergency Declaration — DQne by Chair or as directed by the t34ard Rescinding Emergency Declaration — Done by Chair or as directed by the Soerd ORANGE COUNTY NOFM L CAROLINA Slide #5 Role of Towns Independent Authority to Make Declaration — Separate and apart from the County Coordination of Rules and Restrictions Corm tatlon with subject matter experts — Draft decia ralion with CQunly Attomey's Offl" ORANGE COUNTY P.'OH']']L CAROI.LN,t 4 Slide #6 COVID-19 Differences (Duration No Obvious End Point Geographic Coverage Impact on Private Entities ORANGE COUNTY �'nfC1'1 r CARO1.1 V:} Travis Myren said that unlike other emergencies, there was no obvious end point to the COVID-19 pandemic. He said that stay at home orders impacted private entities in a way that other emergencies do not. Slide #7 Questions and discussion ORANGE COUNTY NOFM I CAROLIN A Commissioner Bedford asked when the county is issuing a declaration, if it excludes the towns, unless the towns want to join in. Travis Myren said yes. He said the county invites the towns to participate for coordination, but it is not necessary. Commissioner Bedford asked how it works with municipalities split across counties, such as Mebane. John Roberts, County Attorney, said those municipalities usually do not participate and issue their own orders. Commissioner Bedford said that it could be a conflict for those municipalities that are split between counties that have differing rules. 5 Commissioner Richards asked if the state of emergency declaration for COVID-19 was done in consultation with the Board. Travis Myren said that he thought it was done by the Board Chair at the time, in consultation with the mayors. Commissioner Richards said that this presented a good opportunity to rethink the process since the standard process seems to be setup for a snowstorm, for example. Commissioner McKee said there was no consultation with the Board because that was the process in the past. He said that some states of emergency need quick action. He said that the Board delegates the authority to the Chair to make these declarations because they need to be able to implement them quickly, in the event of a standard state of emergency. He said that he thinks that it is proper to continue in that fashion. He noted that COVID-19 presented a different scenario, and he has no issue in how the declarations were issued up until now, but that he wants to review how to go forward. He said he would like to allow Board input at some point in time in future, long-term emergency declarations. He asked when the current declaration ends. Chair Price said it has been extended until May 1, 2022. Commissioner McKee said in this case that he favors allowing the Board to weigh in before extending the declaration or requiring masks again. He said it is a unique situation and has no bearing on other states of emergency. He said he thinks they need a policy to determine what is delegated to the Chair. Chair Price asked when federal and state mandates expire. Travis Myren said the federal transportation declaration was extended through April 18t" and said he was unsure about medical facilities. Chair Price asked about the deadline for reimbursement for federal funds. Travis Myren said eligible expenditures are ending soon. He said the declaration does not have to be open during the entire expenditures period. Commissioner Hamilton said she agreed about the importance for the Board to have input emergencies like COVID that have a wide impact on the community. She asked how they could put the policy in place. She said her reading of the policy says the chair can put the declaration in place, but changes could be made by the Board. She said it would be helpful to have guidance for Board input. John Roberts said the Board has authority to direct the Chair to amend, rescind, or extend any declaration. He said they could add language that says something along the lines that "any declaration that extends past 10 days shall come back to the Board at a business meeting for determination on how long it should be kept in place." He said that the board does have an authority to direct how the declaration will go forward by directing the chair. Commissioner Greene said she did not know the Board had that power. She said that the County Attorney's suggestion about amending the language for duration and Board review makes sense. She said for something that is beyond a hurricane, or natural disaster, and like the pandemic that is becoming a part of life, maybe 30 days could be the duration that discussion should go to the Board. John Roberts said he can only remember two events in the last 13 years that extended beyond the five days that they are automatically terminated by the ordinance. He said that if they set a 30-day window, that maybe they would never have to use it. Chair Price said that emergencies on the coast can impact communities for a long time. Commissioner Bedford said she is concerned. She said that she does not think it should be automatic that a declaration come back to the board. She said that it might make more sense to ask the manager to work with the emergency services department because they have protocols and that would take the politics out of the decision. She suggested that the County 6 Manager work with staff to determine when and why declarations should be extended, ended, or brought before the Board. She said an emergency should never be political. Bonnie Hammersley, County Manager, said the normal protocol is that the emergency management team discusses with the County Manager whether the county should be in a state of emergency. She said then the County Attorney puts together the state of emergency declaration, and then the Chair signs the declaration. She said staff on the ground advise the Chair if the state of emergency needs to be extended. She said it is coming up from emergency operations. She said she thinks the language does allow the Board to get involved, if needed. She said in most cases, the state of emergency happens quickly and then is done. She said they always follow up with the Board with the full impact. She said the pandemic just never ended and provided a different situation than had ever been experienced. Commissioner Bedford said it would be helpful if the team could share what the parameters are for why emergency declarations would be reconsidered. Commissioner Richards said she liked the words, "in consultation." She said she did not want to mess anything up but that she wants to understand what the parameters are so she could communicate clearly with the public. She said she wants to be able to share knowledge. She said she did not want to interfere with the process. Chair Price said that in the first half of the pandemic a lot of the information was confidential, but it was coming from emergency management and with the health department. She said the mayors and chairs were just signing the declaration, but it was being developed by the people on the ground. Commissioner Hamilton said she agreed that it is about being in consultation. She said she just wanted to get information about the basis for the metrics. She said this would allow the board to ask questions and understand. She said it is important as a Board to have that to educate the community. She said they are held accountable as a Board. She said that this unique situation of a long running emergency that it is vital that the whole board be involved. She said that when we have a long running emergency, people get tired, and others need to be deputized to get input. She said it was important to not let it get politicized and to look at the best interests of the community. Commissioner McKee said he would send language to the Board for amending the policy. Chair Price said that it can be brought to a future meeting for discussion and public input. Chair Price said she forgot to say at the beginning of the meeting that Commissioner Fowler had an excused absence from the work session. 1. Boards and Commissions —Annual Work Plan Summaries The Board received feedback and/or direction on the first group of boards and commissions' annual work plan summaries with their Chairs (or representatives) in attendance. (A second group of boards and commissions' annual work plan summaries is scheduled for the Board's April 14, 2022 work session.) BACKGROUND: In the past, as part of the Board of Commissioners' annual planning and goal setting retreats, the Board requested and reviewed/provided feedback on annual plan summaries from the County's internal boards and commissions. This information provided the Board with a yearly overview of the boards and commissions and their projected goals for the upcoming year. This particular process ended in 2007. The Board decided at its April 13, 2010 meeting to reinstate this process independent of the Board's annual retreats. Boards and Commissions Represented at this meeting: Board Name Representative(s) Presenting Orange County Board of Adjustment Leon Meyers Orange Unified Transportation Board Erik Broo Orange County Planning Board Lamar Proctor Economic Development Advisory Board Estella Johnson Chapel Hill Orange County Visitors Bureau Advisory Board Sharon Hill & Laurie Paolicelli Human Relations Commission Frances Castillo Orange County Housing Authority Board Corey Root Affordable Housing Advisory Board Jenn Sykes Alcoholic Beverage Control Board Tony DuBois Animal Services Advisory Board Ed Tiryakian & Bryan Stuart Tara May introduced the item. Leon Meyers presented for the Board of Adjustment. He said the Board of Adjustment met six times in the last year or so, for one work session, one orientation, one appeal case, two variance cases, and a virtual meeting to approve minutes. He said there were issues with staff support, which the Planning Director corrected. He said there is a regular member who has not had any communication with the Board of Adjustment for over a year. He said that it was important to move the alternates into regular member seats and to fill the alternate positions, so the Board of Adjustment can operate. Commissioner Richards asked what are the kinds of things that the Board of Adjustment would take up. Leon Meyers said the Board of Adjustment is a quasi-judicial board and it was created by the North Carolina General Statutes and the Unified Development Ordinance (LIDO). He said that it handles appeals of decisions that staff make, variances from the requirements of the LIDO, and a narrow class of special use permits. Commissioner Richards asked about issues with the UDO and if it is handled separately, or if it were collectively something the county would look at in the LIDO. Leon Meyers said the Board of Adjustment is not involved with the LIDO, except as a distant advisory board. Erik Broo presented for the Orange Unified Transportation Board (OUT Board). He said they have met five times and that the virtual meetings helped with a quorum. He said that the major thing they did in 2021 was to make recommendations on the Orange County CTP. He said they review NCDOT projects in Orange County at every meeting. He said they review the Burlington Graham MPO 2045 MTP update. He said they get updates from Nish Trivedi and his staff about projects, and they offer feedback. He said they meet regularly with TAS. He said they pursue the non STIP items that are outside of NCDOT's realm and those can be accomplished din a timelier manner. He said they monitor local and regional plans, like Robeson county's goal to have traffic fatalities at zero. He said the board looks at other community plans to determine if they are good fit for Orange County. He said they use the website to push information out and solicit feedback. He said they are actively trying to support multi-modal transportation projects, and this is a challenge. He said that everyone wants bike lanes, but they have to be called 4-ft shoulders to be able to meet the guidelines. He said in 2022, they are going to look at the US 70 multi-modal corridor study. He said they will continue to look at the DCHC 2050 transportation plan and they are also awaiting the DOTMSTA study. He said the Grady Brown and Cedar Ridge High Schools are included in the area of the 8 DOTMSTA study and they will be reviewing the information so that hopefully the constituents can have their concerns better heard through improvements. He said there is a possible casino being built in southern Virginia and that would affect the traffic on NC 86, and they are paying attention to issues like that. He said they are looking at alternative means to address local issues and smaller projects. He said that for example, when light rail was a thing, there was a tax, and it would be nice to be able to use those funds within the bounds that have been set. He said they are trying to figure out how to do smaller projects within the boundaries that are set. Commissioner Greene said the county was updating the Orange County transit plan and revise it since light rail has ended. She asked if the OUT Board was consulted. Erik Broo said yes, and they talk about it every meeting. Commissioner Greene said the transit policy steering committee was meeting the next day and they will be receiving results of the second round of input. Craig Benedict, Planning Director, said the OUT Board is made of planning staff and Orange County public transportation and they discuss the plan at each meeting. Commissioner Greene asked if the OUT Board was specifically included. Nish Trivedi said yes, they have been included in the input process. Erik Broo said Nish Trivedi and his team were reviewing the document every meeting. Chair Price said the bridge study discussion has been going on for over a decade. She said she hopes this time something happens. Erik Broo said the topic comes up frequently. Chair Price said that over the years, NCDOT has begun listening to Orange County's desire for bike lanes. She said they have to be called "4-foot shoulders," but are intended for bikes. Erik Broo said that he hopes NCDOT would offer funding for projects that are not directly adjacent to roads, because it would show North Carolinians that they do care about multi-modal. He said transportation does happen with bikes even though they are not on the road. Chair Price said they are changing the culture. Lamar Proctor presented for the Orange County Planning Board. He said the board met ten times. He said they revised the UDO as an update as required to meet the updates to NC General Statute 160E. He said there were some substantive changes that were also discussed by the Board of Commissioners. He said they also reviewed projects within the county. He said they also reviewed changes that are happening in Durham that affect the Eno economic development district because they are reducing public water and sewer to the area. He said that it will not be as big as they wanted, regarding future growth, in that area. He said they have a new chair, Adam Beeman. He said that Adam Beeman led a discussion on residential solar. He said that it was eye opening to see the hoops they had to jump through and unforeseen expenses to add solar to residential. He said that it dovetails with issues that the Planning Board is concerned with. He said they will likely work more with other boards in the future. He said new census data will require an update to the comprehensive plan. He said they will continue to work on community outreach. He said they may teach a Planning 101 course to the public, to help them learn the process and where their voice can be heard. He said that broadband access is important to the Planning Board, as is climate change. He said that the growth of Mebane into western Orange County is creating concern for residents. He said they want to encourage renewable energy development. He said the Planning Board is concerned with maintaining water resources. He said Orange County has some clean ecosystems that should be protected and used wisely. Commissioner Richards said there is a need to update the planning. She said that between the UDO, the comprehensive plan, and the new census data, it all needs to be 9 updated. She said she wants to do all of that in a collaborative way. She asked if there is a work plan to get that done in the next year. Lamar Proctor said there were policies and procedures established that they would follow. Commissioner Richards asked about the work plan for tackling that. Craig Benedict said that when the comprehensive plan was put together, there were eight lead advisory boards. He said that it is especially important to include them. He said they want to be inclusive with advisory boards. He said there is a process, but they need to bring everyone together. He said in the coming months they will pull everyone together and get buy-in right away. He said that there is a very deliberative process to make sure they are including the advisory boards. He said that the process took several years in the past and he hopes that it can be done a bit quicker this time. Chair Price said in the previous process they used a world cafe model to share ideas. She said it was an interactive process. Craig Benedict said that when he started, they were working on the 2025 Transportation Plan and now they are working on the 2050. He said that he will be retiring but that the work continues. Estella Johnson presented for the Economic Development Advisory Board. She said their subcommittee reviewed many small business grant applications and approved twenty-six small business grant awards totaling $134,465. She said assisted in the Agriculture Economic Development Grant Program to receive and review applications, approving ten grant awards totaling $87,705 in support of Orange County's small farmers and food processors for the year. She said members of the Advisory Board participated in a third round of the Board of Commissioners' special COVID emergency small business grant program, approving forty-four awards totaling $132,000 for the year. She said this activity was in addition to 2020's first two rounds of special grant approvals that made seventy-eight awards totaling $520,131 for the prior year. She said that the combined value of all grant award activity benefiting small businesses & small farmers saw a total of $354,170 in economic development funding throughout rural Orange County and the towns of Hillsborough, Chapel Hill and Carrboro. She said all of these business and agriculture/food processing grants were made possible by funds provided by the County's special Article 46 (1/4 cent retail sales tax) proceeds. She said that thanks to Article 46 funding, these grant programs show that the real estate tax paid by the public is remaining in Orange County. She said these funds are put to effective use to grow the local economy. She said Economic Development Advisory Board members worked closely with staff to review all applications and make strategic grant awards. She said all grant awards should be considered important efforts to the county's continuing investment to our locally owned small businesses, agricultural food processors, and farms, many of which are women and minority owned businesses. She said the advisory board's goals in 2022 are to assist the Board of Commissioners with their social justice goal to assist all residents with participation and sharing of economic prosperity by continuing the small business grant and agricultural programs. She said they also hope to continue collaborating with the county, the chambers of commerce of Hillsborough, Chapel Hill, and Carrboro, and Durham Technical Community College. She said they also offer assistance to the Board by making recommendations for the use of Article 46 revenue to prioritize funding for a mix of small businesses and entrepreneurial firms. She said they also hope to attract larger industries as well. She commended the efforts of Economic Development staff for their work with the Board of Commissioners to support small and large businesses. Estella Johnson said she is relatively new to the Economic Development Advisory Board, but she would do her best to answer any questions. 10 Commissioner Greene commended the board and staff for the emphasis on agricultural economic development and the food processing center. She said she hoped they could grow that due to the potential. Chair Price commended the board on their work for small business assistance and family farms. She asked if the board felt there were sufficient grant funds for the number of applicants. Estella Johnson said there is never enough money because people are always in need. She said that small businesses generate long-term jobs. She said she is not certain on the amount of money available to them to supply to businesses. She said it is good for them to have expert support. Steve Brantley said they are fortunate that grant money is supported by Chapel Hill and Carrboro where they have new grant programs made available by ARPA or accrued funding. He said the county is the only organization that has funding available for farms or food processors. He said that if there is more funding available that they would make more grants or larger grants. He said the biggest difference between the agricultural grants and the other businesses is a timing one. He said people in agriculture have a different cycle in when they need funding. He said that other small business applicants do not have the same cyclicality. He said that brand new startup type ventures are not really allowed with the guidelines. He said there are funds available that have never been used and they are proposing to move it to allow startups to be able to use it. He said they want to grow businesses with less than 12 months operating history. He said the county is reinvesting in the community with economic development. Sharron Hill presented virtually for the Chapel Hill Orange County Visitors Bureau Advisory Board. She said they moved to 308 West Franklin Street. She shared a video from musician James Taylor that will play continuously at the visitor's bureau. She said that tourists are returning to Chapel Hill. She said staff has completed a 2022 event and meeting guide. She shared a new draft website that highlights the diversity of the area. She said they are going to update language on the website to include the term BIPOC. She asked that people contact the visitor's bureau with events that they would like highlighted. Laurie Paolicelli of the Visitors Bureau, thanked Sharron Hill and Commissioner McKee for serving on the advisory board. She said that there are also twelve other videos, including Coach Brown, Governor Cooper, and Lewis Brown, all the mayors, and Chair Price. She said they hope to have a grand opening for their new space after UNC Chapel Hill's graduation. She said they are going after meeting planners now because the biggest struggle is mid-week. Frances Castillo presented for the Human Relations Commission. She said that they have spent a lot of time partnering with other organizations and working on community development. She said they worked to educate tenants and landlords on their rights and responsibilities. She said they collaborated with UNC Humanities K-12 and created a Pauli Murray curriculum. She said that teachers can use the lesson plan and it is being used even outside of North Carolina. She said they are beginning to publish documents in languages other than English. She said that in 2021 they hosted the Pauli Murray awards, a community conversation on defunding the police, letters to the editors on defunding police and violence against the Asian Americans. She said they also took a month to dedicate to community education on how to be a good advocate. She said that the upcoming year will be interesting as they begin in-person meetings. She said that there are many issues, and they are putting together resources to help the community address those. She said they want everyone on the commission to go through GARE training. She said they have started attending the state human relation commission meetings. She said that they want to address women's health and women's economic opportunities. She said they want to work more with other advisory boards and commissions. 11 Commissioner Richards said they passed a resolution supporting Orange County schools. She said in the resolution they asked for help from the commission in how they can move forward with broader conversations in the community. She said she just wanted to remind everyone about that desire. She said she wanted to work with the commission on how to move the county forward. She also said they would like help on diversifying boards. Frances Castillo said there is a board diversity subcommittee that is studying that subject. She said they are soliciting information from advisory boards about ethnicity of members. She said they are also trying to make sure the human relations commission is diverse. Chair Price said that diversity on the boards has been an issue for years. She said it is an issue of communication and feeling comfortable on the board. She said that is some of the feedback she has gotten over the years. She said some people are fine being the only woman or person of color on a board, but others do not. She said they have to encourage people to get on board and raise their voices. Frances Castillo one of the issues is the time and places that boards are meeting. She said some are set up to be inaccessible. She said this prevents people from being on certain boards. Chair Price said some of it really has been that people do not want to be bothered if they do not feel they will be comfortable. Corey Root presented on behalf of the Orange County Housing Authority Board. She said the board is currently without a chair or vice chair, so she was presenting for them. She said the board has gone through a lot of changes. She said the first substantial change is they have increased the number of leases. She said they have issued a high number of vouchers. She said they are being used in collaboration with the Partnership to End Homelessness. She said they have identified people exiting homelessness and they meet criteria to receive those vouchers. She said there are over one hundred households that have been issued vouchers. She said that there are not enough affordable housing units in the community to meet the need. She said that structured support in housing searches is also being provided. She said that HUD made additional vouchers available and Orange County qualified for nineteen of those. She said that the guidelines are exactly what Orange County is already doing. She said three of the nineteen are leased. She said that the housing vouchers come with a service fee that they can use for furniture or household goods. She said they are working to lower barriers for those with vouchers. She said they are working to make it more accessible and understandable. She said they have reduced their voucher package to three pages for recertification with HUD to make it kinder to clients who are in need. She said the previous version was ten pages with a lot of scary language. She said they are trying to reduce the paperwork in all their programs. Commissioner Bedford asked what permanent supportive housing is. Corey Root said permanent supportive housing is a model to address needs for those who have experienced chronic homelessness and who also have a disability. She said it is housing subsidies with an addition of services. She said the people who provide services have one of the toughest jobs in Orange County. She said some people have trouble finding units, even with vouchers. She said affordable housing is moving towards a mixed income type of housing. Jenn Sykes presented for the Affordable Housing Advisory Board. She said they are involved in outside agency funding review. She said they work on community engagement to help residents understand what is available to them. She said they believe that housing is a key component for having a healthy life. She said they review action plans for federal HOME funds and expand partnerships within the community. She said that next year they also want to engage with criminal justice and immigrant refugee partners. She said they want to increase financial support for affordable housing. She said they want to remain engaged with local 12 governments as they discuss affordable housing. She said they consult and review the proposed land uses for the Greene Tract. She said they are also aligning with the county-wide racial equity plan. Commissioner Richards asked if the board was involved with the Big Bold Idea housing committee. Jenn Sykes said that Corey Root is a member of that committee. Commissioner Richards asked if Corey Root will report back to the Board of Commissioners on that committee. Corey Root said she is not sure at this time how this information will be shared. Tony DuBois presented on behalf of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board. He said they are different than advisory boards because they are an independent subdivision of the state and generate revenue and distribute profits. He said that employees working with the public have had a difficult job over the pandemic. He described the increase in sales at the stores. He said they are a living wage employer, and that they are building new locations in Mebane and Southern Village. He said they have increased their grants during the pandemic. He said they have focused on best ways to distribute the money. He said they recently renewed their living wage certification, but it creates salary compression. He said that they have been able to pay off debt and upgrade stores. He listed some of the organizations that they have helped financially. Chair Price said she noticed the increase in sales. Commissioner Richards asked if law enforcement has specific programs about alcohol prevention and if they support those. Pat Burns from the ABC Advisory Board said all agencies submit a grant request to describe what they will use the funds for. He said a lot of this goes toward the multijurisdictional agencies with a strong focus on underage drinking. Ed Tiryakian presented on behalf of the Animal Services Advisory Board. He said he has been on the board for 8 years and his final term will end in June. He said he understands the importance of the advisory boards on bringing attention to issues. He said they are currently considering if roosters should be regulated in the developed parts of the county. He said they are investigating if high density areas should be rezoned for no roosters. He said they have frequently reviewed the dangerous dogs ordinance. He said that several years ago they asked the Board of Commissioners to remove the word "vicious" from the ordinance. He said that was changed to "dangerous." He said they also requested an appeals process for removing muzzles from dangerous dogs after 18 months. He said there are state statutes for lifelong muzzle requirements and the board asked the Board of Commissioners to discuss a local bill with state legislators for removing the lifelong muzzle requirement. He said it would be viewed by the legislators as a study. He said they have made changes for investigating dangerous dog declarations. He said there have been decreases in the number of incidents for dangerous dogs. He said that their board has a requirement for geographic diversity. He said that maybe this makes sense but is that the type of diversity that is most relevant. He said they are having meetings at other locations in Orange County to hopefully attract interest from residents in what the advisory board does. He said they are thinking of bringing other Animal Services programs to those locations during the meetings. He said they have been working on amending the animal ordinance to update the language and address different types of issues. He said people want to own exotic animals, but often they find out about it after there is an incident. He said they will present the ordinance to the Board of Commissioners later in the year. He discussed the recent wolf dog situation. He credited the community for finding homes for the captured dogs and for the Animal Services Director for keeping them healthy during the duration of their time at Animal Services. He said it was exceedingly difficult to find homes for the wolf dogs. He said the last three wolf dogs were placed with an organization called 13 Mattersville that builds homes for veterans. He said that Mattersville wanted the wolf dogs but needed help paying for fencing. He said that the community raised $10,000 in a week for the organization. He said the community is very invested in animal welfare. Chair Price asked if the ordinance will be finished before Mr. Tiryakian leaves. Ed Tiryakian said yes. Commissioner McKee said that those requested legislative studies have been presented to Representatives Insko and Meyer. He said Representative Insko has announced that she will extend her time in the legislature until May. Commissioner Bedford asked if animals got COVID-19 in the shelter. Dr. Sandra Strong, Animal Services Director, said none since she arrived in the county in June 2021. She said that the shelter did house animals for short periods of time for people in the hospital with COVID-19. 2. Affordable Housing Advisory Board —Appointments Discussion The Board discussed appointments to the Affordable Housing Advisory Board. BACKGROUND: The Affordable Housing Advisory Board prioritizes affordable housing needs and assesses project proposals. The board also publicizes the County's housing objectives, monitors the progress of local housing programs, explores new funding opportunities, and works to increase the community's awareness of, understanding of, commitment to, and involvement in producing attractive affordable housing. The Board of County Commissioners appoints all fifteen (15) At-Large members. The following individuals are recommended for Board consideration: NAME SPECIAL TYPE OF EXPIRATION REPRESENTATIVE APPOINTMENT DATE TERM Alice Mahood At-Large Partial Term 06/30/2022 Anjail Taylor At-Large Partial Term 06/30/2023 Hasan Abdullah At-Large First Full Term 06/30/2024 If the individuals listed above are appointed, the following vacancy remains: POSITION EXPIRATION VACANCY INFORMATION DESIGNATION DATE At-Large 06/30/2022 Vacant since 08/10/2021. Tara May introduced the item. Commissioner Richards said Alice Mahood is on two boards. Tara May said yes. She said the advisory board policy is that people cannot serve on more than two advisory boards, but that they are not restricted from serving on boards that do not act as advisory boards or short-term task forces or work groups. She said that Alice Mahood serves on the ABC Board and the Housing Authority Board, which are not listed as advisory boards under the policy. She said that Alice Mahood could still be eligible for the board. Commissioner Richards asked who made the recommendation. 14 Tara May said it was the recommendation of the Housing Authority Board. Commissioner Bedford said she would like to consider Ehmu Ra Ho instead of Alice Mahood for the at-large partial term appointment and concurred with the recommendation for Hasan Abdullah and Anjail Taylor. Chair Price concurred with Commissioner Bedford's suggestions. The Board agreed by consensus on the Ehmu Ra Ho, Hasan Abdullah, and Anjail Taylor. Tara May said there will be another appointment for the Board to consider for the Affordable Housing Advisory Board at a future meeting. 3. Economic Development Advisory Board —Appointments Discussion The Board discussed appointments to the Economic Development Advisory Board. BACKGROUND: The Economic Development Advisory Board works cohesively with the County's Economic Development staff and other economic development partners to position Orange County as a competitive location for business opportunities. The Board of County Commissioners appoints all ten (10) members, with representation from various fields. The following individuals are recommended for Board consideration: NAME SPECIAL TYPE OF EXPIRATION REPRESENTATIVE APPOINTMENT DATE TERM Elise Tyler Tourism First Full Term 06/30/2024 Hasan Abdullah Core Business Partial Term 06/30/2022 Community If the individuals listed above are appointed, no vacancies remain. Tara May introduced the item. Commissioner Bedford said she supported the recommended applicants. The Board agreed by consensus on the recommended applicants. 4. Orange County Planning Board —Appointments Discussion The Board discussed appointments to the Orange County Planning Board. BACKGROUND: The Orange County Planning Board studies Orange County and surrounding areas to determine objectives in the development of the County, prepares and recommends plans to achieve that development, and reviews development applications and makes recommendations to the Board of Commissioners. The Board of County Commissioners appoints all twelve members. 15 The following individual is presented for Board consideration: NAME POSITION TYPE OF EXPIRATION DESCRIPTION APPOINTMENT DATE TERM Statler Gilfillen Eno Township First Full Term 03/31/2025 BOCC At-Large First Full Term 03/31/2025 Appointment If the individuals listed above are appointed, no vacancies remain. Tara May introduced the item. She said that Statler Gilfillen was previously appointed to an at-large position, but staff requested that he be moved to the Eno Township position, which would leave his current position vacant. Commissioner McKee asked if the reasoning was because there were no other applicants for the Eno Township position. Tara May said yes. She said three applicants for the At-Large position have indicated that they are no longer interested in being on the Planning Board. Commissioner Greene suggested Elizabeth Bronson for the At-Large position. Chair Price said she was interested in appointing Steve Kaufman. Commissioner McKee said he was interested in appointing Elizabeth Bronson. Commissioner Bedford said she also was interested in Jeff Scott. She said this is a board that needs diversity. The Board agreed by consensus on Statler Gilfillen and Elizabeth Bronson. 5. Arts Commission —Appointment Discussion The Board discussed an appointment to the Arts Commission. BACKGROUND: The Arts Commission recommends strategies to promote the artistic and cultural growth of Orange County, advises the Board of Commissioners on matters involving the arts, and acts as the granting panel for funding programs available to individual artists and non- profit groups sponsoring arts projects in Orange County. The Board of County Commissioners appoints all fifteen (15) At-Large members. The following individual is recommended for Board consideration: NAME SPECIAL TYPE OF EXPIRATION REPRESENTATIVE APPOINTMENT DATE TERM Mark Bett er At-Large Partial Term 03/31/2023 If the individuals listed above are appointed, no vacancies remain. Tara May introduced the item. Commissioner Richards said she noticed several positions will be available in the next six months. She asked for the process for filling those vacancies. Tara May described the process for asking for recommendations from advisory boards. She said that she contacts staff quarterly to let them know which terms are expiring in hopes of 16 getting it on the Board's agenda before they expire. She said she brings them to the Board when they are available. Commissioner Richards said she saw an applicant named Lamar Richards. Tara May said she is unsure why the Arts Commission did not recommend him but that she had tried to contact Lamar Richards to gauge his interest and he did not respond. She did not hear back from Arts Commission staff on if they had talked to him but that she will get that information for the Board. Commissioner Hamilton said Mark Bettger is a good addition because he is the interim director of the Arts Center. The Board agreed by consensus on the recommended applicant. 6. Commission for the Environment—Appointments Discussion The Board discussed appointments to the Commission for the Environment. BACKGROUND: The Commission for the Environment advises the Board of Commissioners on matters affecting the environment with particular emphasis on protection. It educates public and local officials on environmental issues and performs special studies and projects. It also recommends environmental initiatives and study changes in environmental science and local and federal regulations. The Board of County Commissioners appoints all fifteen members, including 10 At-Large members and five members with expertise in specific fields. The following individuals are recommended for Board consideration: NAME POSITION TYPE OF EXPIRATION DESCRIPTION APPOINTMENT DATE TERM Taylor Oakley At-Large Partial Term 12/31/2022 Ian Morse At-Large Partial Term 12/31/2023 If the individuals listed above are appointed, the following vacancy remains: POSITION EXPIRATION VACANCY INFORMATION DESIGNATION DATE At-Large 12/31/2024 Vacant since 02/08/2022. Tara May introduced the item. She said the Commission for the Environment requested more time to fill the one remaining vacancy. The Board agreed by consensus on the recommended applicants. 7. Nursing Home Community Advisory Committee—Appointments Discussion The Board discussed appointments to the Nursing Home Community Advisory Committee. BACKGROUND: The Nursing Home Community Advisory Committee helps to maintain the intent of the Residents' Bill of Rights, promotes community involvement, and provides public 17 education on long-term care issues. The regional ombudsman with Triangle J Council of Governments provides specialized training and support. The Board of County Commissioners appoints all ten (10) members. REMINDER: As of July 1, 2017, House Bill 248 was adopted by the North Carolina General Assembly regarding the training period for pending members of the "Adult Care Home Community Advisory Committee and Nursing Home Community Advisory Committee". Applicants will be selected from the County "Applicant Interest List" for a condensed training and if an applicant successfully completes the training, that individual 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. The following individuals are recommended for Board consideration: NAME SPECIAL TYPE OF EXPIRATION REPRESENTATIVE APPOINTMENT DATE TERM Jacqulyn At-Large First Full Term 03/31/2025 Podger (re-appointment) Martha Bell At-Large One-year extension 01/31/2023 SPECIAL NOTATION: None of the other applicants have completed the mandatory pre- appointment training and are therefore not eligible for appointment at this time. If the individuals listed above are appointed, the following vacancies remain: POSITION EXPIRATION VACANCY INFORMATION DESIGNATION DATE At-Large 06/30/2022 Vacant since 08/25/2021 At-Large 03/31/2023 Vacant since 08/25/2021 At-Large 03/31/2023 Vacant since 06/21/2017 Nursing Home 06/30/2023 Vacant since 12/12/2018 Administration At-Large 09/30/2023 Vacant since 11/06/2019 Tara May introduced the item. The Board agreed by consensus on the recommended applicants. 8. Orange County Parks and Recreation Council —Appointments Discussion The Board discussed appointments to the Orange County Parks and Recreation Council. BACKGROUND: The Orange County Parks and Recreation Council consults with and advises the Department of Environment, Agriculture, Parks and Recreation, and the Board of County Commissioners on matters affecting parks planning, development and operation; recreation facilities, policies and programs; and public trails and open space. 18 The Board of County Commissioners appoints all twelve members with representatives from each of the county's townships plus its municipalities. The following individuals are recommended for Board consideration: NAME POSITION DESCRIPTION TYPE OF EXPIRATION APPOINTMENT DATE TERM Greg Hughes At-Large First Full Term (re- 03/31/2025 appointment) Rebecca Hillsborough Township First Full Term 03/31/2025 Truluck Jessie At-Large First Full Term 03/31/2025 Birckhead If the individuals listed above are appointed, the following vacancy remains: POSITION EXPIRATION VACANCY INFORMATION DESIGNATION DATE Chapel Hill 03/31/2023 Vacant since 10/13/2021. Township Hillsborough Town 09/30/2022 Vacant since 01/18/2022. Limits If the individual listed above is appointed, no vacancies remain. Tara May introduced the item. Commissioner Richards asked for clarification of current vacancies. She said there are three that say they expire in 2022. Tara May said that if the three recommended applicants are appointed the remaining vacancies would be for the Chapel Hill Township and the Hillsborough Town Limits. She said there would still be two vacant seats. The Board agreed by consensus on the recommended applicants. A motion was made by Commissioner Bedford, seconded by Commissioner Hamilton, to adjourn the meeting at 9:30 p.m. VOTE: UNANMIOUS Renee Price, Chair Laura Jensen Clerk to the Board Submitted for approval by Laura Jensen, Clerk to the Board.