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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 10-25-2022 Joint Meeting with the Fire Department1 APPROVED 12/5/22 MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS JOINT MEETING WITH THE ORANGE COUNTY CHIEF’S ASSOCIATION AND WORK SESSION October 25, 2022 7:00 p.m. The Orange County Board of Commissioners met for a joint meeting with the Orange County Chiefs’ Association followed by a work session on Tuesday, October 25, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. at the Whitted Human Services Center in Hillsborough, NC. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Renee Price, Vice Chair Jamezetta Bedford, and Commissioners Amy Fowler, Sally Greene, Jean Hamilton, and Earl McKee COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: Commissioner Anna Richards 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) ORANGE COUNTY CHIEFS’ ASSOCIATION MEMBERS PRESENT: Chief Keith Hayes, Chief Kevin Brooks, Chief Jamal Phillip Nasseri, Chief Matthew Mauzy, Ryan Campbell (on behalf of Chief Brad Allison), Chief Ricky Baker, Chief Charles Bowden, Chief Jeff Borland, Chief Jeff Cabe ORANGE COUNTY CHIEFS’ ASSOCIATION MEMBERS ABSENT: Chief Brad Allison, Chief Will Potter, Chief Vence Harris, Chief Bob Louis, Chief John Stroud Chair Price called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. All Commissioners were present except Commissioner Richards. 1. Highlights of Services Provided and Challenges Faced During Hurricane Ian The departments will provide an update on the services provided by the fire departments and an overview of some of the challenges they faced during the recent impacts from Hurricane Ian. Chief Keith Hayes gave the following PowerPoint presentation: Slide #1 2 Slide #2 Slide #3 Chief Matthew Mauzy reviewed the information on the slide above. 3 Slide #4 Chief Kevin Brooks reviewed the information on the slide above. Slide #5 Chief Jeff Cabe reviewed the information on the slide above. He said that a fourth station will open mid-January and it will be an EMS and Fire Station. He said that will be in the Waterstone development. 4 Slide #6 Chief Keith Hayes reviewed the information on the slide above. Slide #7 Chief Charles Bowden reviewed the information on the slide above. 5 Slide #8 Chief Ricky Baker reviewed the information on the slide above. Slide #9 Chief Jeff Borland reviewed the information on the slide above. 6 Slide #10 A representative from the Caldwell Fire District reviewed the information on the slide above on behalf of Chief Brad Allison. Slide #11 Chief Phillip Nasseri reviewed the information on the slide above. He said they provide various rescue services and they will probably have 350-400 calls this year. 7 Slide #12 Chief Keith Hayes reviewed the information on the slide above on behalf of Chief Will Potter. Slide #13 Chief Keith Hayes reviewed the information on the slide above on behalf of Chief Vence Harris. 8 Slide #14 Chief Keith Hayes reviewed the information on the slide above on behalf of Chief Bob Louis. Slide #15 Chief Keith Hayes reviewed the information on the slide above on behalf of Chief John Strowd. 9 2. Training – ISO Ratings (County-Wide Public Safety Training Facility Needs, Logistics, and Cost Analysis) The departments will provide an update on recent changes to departmental ISO ratings and discuss the continuing need for a public safety training facility. Slide #16 Chief Jeff Cabe said that all departments in the county have been inspected for ISO rastings within the last 10 years. He was asked to explain the ISO rankings. He said that if you have a residential insurance policy there is a risk factor score assigned to you based on where you are in regards to a fire station and fire safety infrastructure or water sources. He said the Department of Insurance comes in and tests the department, including the 911 center. He said they also grade the water system and how much water is available at a particular property. He said they have tanker trucks to haul water into the rural districts. He said they look at many factors and those components go into the insurance system and that produces the risk factor. He said that the risk factor controls the premium for home and business insurance. He said a 1 is the best and a 10 means the property is unprotected. He said Efland has the highest ISO rating in the county at 3. He said that Efland’s rating is a testament to the hardwork of the people that are in this room. He said there is also another test called the Class Nine that the state still uses to rate and that unfortunately, those two tests sometimes disagree with one another. He said that requires them to meet multiple checklists. He said the departments in Orange County are in a good place with the fire taxes and the insurance premiums. Chair Price said since she has been on the Board, some areas have improved. Chief Jeff Cabe said that insurance carriers say there is no difference between a 1 and 5 for a standard single family home. Chief Nasseri said since 2005, every department has improved to at least a 7 or better. He said every cycle, departments have maintained or improved scores for residents. He said the benchmarks on the tests are constantly changing as well. 10 Commissioner McKee said it’s imperative that all requirements are met because the state is very serious on this. He said that if you don’t maintain practices, ISO ratings can go back up and then the residents will see a difference in their premiums. Chief Jeff Cabe also said falsifying documents is insurance fraud. Slide #17 Slide #18 Chief Keith Hayes said these numbers include all departments except Chapel Hill Fire Department. He summarized the information on the slide above. He compared the 139 calls in a three hour period during a storm to an average of 33 calls in a normal day. 11 Slide #19 Chief Keith Hayes said all departments worked very well together to get the job done. 3. Special Operations Team Updates and Expansion (Large Animal Rescue and Future Responses) The departments will provide an update on the status of the Orange County Special Operations Team and the addition of adding large animal technical rescue capabilities. Slide #20 Chief Jeff Cabe said the Special Operations Team have members from every department. He said they train on various rescue methods including trench, large animals, and swift water rescues. He said some time in the spring there will be classes on large animal rescue. He said the trench team equipment will be used as a start. He said that by making it a collaborative effort between all fire departments, there are always people available and that provides a better service to the citizens. He said the only one left is HAZMAT and they have not yet figured out how to have a hazardous materials response. Commissioner Fowler asked where the closest HAZMAT team is. Chief Jeff Cabe said Engine 13 in Durham. He said that is on Miami Boulevard and the State Emergency Management has a response team as well but they need to figure out a way to address hazardous materials. Commissioner Bedford asked what the needs are for large animal rescue. 12 Chief Jeff Cabe said they often are stuck in mud, which creates a suction, or fall through a sink hole. He said that cows get stuck in the mud in the summer. He said there are also horse carriers on the interstate. Chief Nasseri said there are also llamas and alpacas so it is widely encompassing. Kirby Saunders, Emergency Services Director said it all comes back to safety. He said while they are all animal lovers, it’s really about helping people who would otherwise put themselves in harm’s way to try to save the animal themselves. He said these are low frequency, but extremely high risk situations. He said this is an efficient and professional approach to share this effort and expertise. Chief Jeff Cabe said one of the hardest things we do is look around the world and try to prepare to solve it in Orange County. Commissioner McKee congratulated the departments and commended them on the increase in collaboration between the departments. He said he thinks the trench team is going to be more and more critical. He said that he watched a 200 x 11 trench cave in on itself. He said there was no one in it and it became obvious that it was unstable and then the wall just shelled off. Chief Jeff Cabe said the land that can be built upon in Orange County is becoming less available, so there will be development on land that there otherwise would not have been and that may increase the need for trench rescues. Commissioner McKee said there is no way to know because it went from stable material to unstable material pretty quickly. He said that a contractor would ignore the 5ft rule until a supervisor or inspector showed up. He said that those people were in jeopardy during that time. Chief Nasseri said awhile back there were discussions about an RFP for a training facility, but now they have a grant they are still using. He said it would be nice to revisit that at some point but that the facility could be pushed back. Elizabeth Farnan, Fire Marshal, said that Orange Rural had a building they were using in Hillsbrough that was shared with several law enforcement as well. She said that it was good, but wasn’t permitted for that use, so they could no longer use it as the building became more dangerous. She said she hopes they revisit doing a training facility because it is very much needed. She said they have nowhere to train and not being able to use the building took away a lot of training from the whole emergency response system in the county. 4. Budget Planning – Vehicle and Equipment Delays and Inflation The departments will provide an overview of vehicle and equipment delays as well as budget impacts resulting from inflation. Slide #21 13 Chief Keith Hayes reviewed the information on slide #21. He said that it is hard to pay for all of the things they need with inflation and funding has not increased. Kirby Saunders said for EMS, they also got indicators that they would have to wait to get an ambulance due to supply change issues. He said they expected a lot of issues and delays and those are expected to continue. He said that in the first quarter, the medical supply costs are already at 41% of budget due to inflation. Chief Keith Hayes said they have ordered equipment ahead of time so hopefully there will not be delays when their new truck finally arrives. He said for example, there was a 3 month delay on fire boots, which isn’t something you can just get anywhere. Chief Jeff Cabe said he was told gear is on a replacement cycle and if they wanted it in the next year, then they would need to order it now. He said there will be a gap when he does not have up to date gear. Chief Kevin Brooks asked what the delay time was. Chief Keith Hayes said he was told one year. Chief Keith Hayes said the Board may see higher requests because they can’t say no when they receive calls but they are running into affordability issues. 5. Staffing – Overview of Shortages (Discussion on Recruitment, Retention, and Increasing Diversity in the Departments) The departments will provide an overview of current staffing challenges and a discuss recruitment, retention, and increasing diversity within the fire departments. Slide #22 Slide #23 Chief Keith Hayes reviewed the information on the slide above. 14 Slide #24 Chief Keith Hayes reviewed the information on the slide above. He said the cited law is hurting when it comes to volunteers. He said this law will make a new volunteer wait. Chief Nasseri said the state passed a law that all volunteers must do a full fingerprint background through the SBI and it is time consuming and there’s a delay. He said that they get their finger prints and then it could be 8-10 weeks to get the information back. He said he does not know the advantages because they are already doing background checks. Chief Jeff Cabe said SBI has to do the finger print card and it costs $38 per person. Slide #25 Slide #26 15 Slide #27 Chief Keith Hayes said these numbers also exclude Chapel Hill Fire Department’s numbers. Chief Jeff Cabe said nationwide percentages are single digits, so they are proud their numbers are around 10% 6. ARPA Funding – VIPER Radio Replacements White Cross Fire Department will provide an update on the current status of the VIPER radio replacement project funded by County ARPA funds. Slide #28 Chief Nasseri said that they are almost ready to go to bid for the radios and it will be on their November 1st agenda. Commissioner McKee asked if there are still issues with penetrating buildings. Chief Nasseri said there will always be issues until the upgrades and new BDAs. He said that the schools were first on the list for BDAs. Commissioner McKee said he thinks the county has some mobile units. Kirby Saunders said there are mobile repeaters. He said that the BDAs are in the benchmarking process. He said that should be completed by February 1st and should have some installs completed by this fiscal year. He said they are also updating paging equipment and one of the towers is the same tower that will be part of the larger radio system improvements. He said they will be presenting those project proposals in the CIP. Chief Nasseri said they appreciate the work of Emergency Services trying to make these technology upgrades happen. He said if they cannot get the calls, they cannot go help. 16 Chief Keith Hayes said the sooner they are able to get approval for the radios, they can order them and be ahead of other orders. 7. Emergency Preparedness – Roles, Responsibilities, and Plans The Board will received an overview of the countywide roles, responsibilities, and plans for managing an emergency or disaster. BACKGROUND: In 2021, the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC) announced the “100 Counties Prepared” initiative. The initiative is focused on equipping county commissioners with the tools they need to lead effectively during emergency situations.  Education: the task force developed a training program that guides commissioners through what they need to know and what they should and should not do during an emergency.  Resources: the task force developed a resource library to share best practices and lessons learned.  Relationships: the task force will continue to highlight the important relationships commissioners should develop prior to emergencies for smooth and effective communication. The program also focuses on helping county commissioners engage with key emergency management partners to foster strategic relationships. The Orange County Emergency Services’ Emergency Management Division recently updated the Elected Officials Guide to Emergencies and Disasters (attached) for Orange County. As part of Orange County’s commitment to preparedness, Sarah Pickhardt, Division Chief of Emergency Management, will provide a brief overview of the roles, responsibilities, and plans used to manage the response to and recovery from disasters that affect Orange County. The presentation will cover the current roles and responsibilities of the Board Chair, County Manager, Emergency Services Director, Emergency Management Coordinator, County Clerk, and Board Members. Local emergency managers from throughout the County are currently working to develop a more robust training opportunity for all elected officials at a date to-be-determined in 2023. Sarah Pickhardt made the following PowerPoint presentation: Slide #1 17 Slide #2 Sarah Pickhardt described the role of emergency management in emergency services. She said that it is a whole community approach to emergencies. Slide #3 Sarah Pickhardt said that the county is seeing both more preciptation and more drought. She said there are really intense rain events, but the period in between events is becoming longer and longer. 18 Slide #4 Sarah Pickhardt said the recovery phase of disaster takes years. Slide #5 19 Slide #6 Slide #7 Sarah Pickhardt said that mutual aid agreements allow the county to request and send additional help from and to outside agencies. 20 Slide #8 Slide #9 Commissioner Hamilton thanked Sarah Pickhardt for the clear presentation. She asked what the Triangle Regional Resilience Partnership is. 21 Sarah Pickhardt said it was created in 2017 to conduct a study of how the region was changing and that the group conculded with the end of the report. She said the full report is available on Triangle J’s website. Kirby Saunders said the name of the report is the Triange J Regional Resiliency Report. Commissioner Bedford said her biggest takeaway is for Commissioners to stay in their lane while emergency responders work. She said it is also important for Commissioners to not lie or say “no comment” but rather refer questions to the County Manager or Chair. Chair Price said there were situations where the ice storm casued the need for people to evacuate their homes and shelter in the schools. Sarah Pickhardt said there was a small scale evacuation at Camelot Village in Chapel Hill during Hurricane Florence. Chair Price thanked them for the report. Commissioner Hamilton thanked everyone for their work and education. Commissioner Fowler said it was a very clear and concise report and thanked them for the information. Chief Hayes thanked the Board for their time and support. Elizabeth Farnan thanked the County Manager and the Board for their support in realizing the critical need for emergency services in the county. Kirby Saunders said they are all the real heroes for doing the work 24/7. 8. Opioid Advisory Committee – Appointment Discussion The Board considered initial appointments to the Opioid Advisory Committee and discussed the addition of a County Manager Designee from the Department on Aging. BACKGROUND: The charge and composition of the Opioid Advisory Committee were established at the Board’s September 6, 2022 Business Meeting. The Committee is charged to discuss opioid-related health concerns and issues impacting the residents of Orange County and advise the Board of Commissioners on options to expend funds to remedy opioid impacts. The Committee will also plan and host one annual meeting open to the public to receive input from municipalities on proposed uses of the settlement funds and to encourage collaboration between local governments. The Board of County Commissioners appoints seven (7) members. The remaining twelve (12) positions are designees. The following positions are presented for Board consideration: NAME POSITION DESCRIPTION TYPE OF APPOINTMENT TERM EXPIRATION DATE BOCC Appointment Orange County Resident with Lived Experience Partial Term 10/31/2023 BOCC Appointment Orange County Resident with Lived Experience Partial Term 10/31/2024 BOCC Appointment Substance Use Treatment Provider First Full Term 10/31/2025 BOCC Appointment Community Group Working on Opioid- related Concerns Partial Term 10/31/2023 22 BOCC Appointment Employment Provider Partial Term 10/31/2024 BOCC Appointment At-Large/ Flex Partial Term 10/31/2023 BOCC Appointment At-Large/ Flex First Full Term 10/31/2025 If the individuals listed above are appointed, no vacancies remain. Tara May, Deputy Clerk to the Board, introduced the item. She said that in addition to considering nominations for the positions, the Board could consider adding a County Manager designated position for Department on Aging. The Board reviewed each open position and discussed nominees for the positions. The Board first discussed the two Orange County Resident With Lived Experience positions. Tara May said she had attempted to categorize all of the applicants into the positions they might be qualified for. She said that she thought applicants Jefradrian Stafford, Jesse Miller, and Beth Evans would fit for the position of Orange County Resident With Lived Experience. She said Beth Evans experience was having a family member who struggled with opioid addiction. Chair Price said she thought Ed Sredzienski also fit in the category. Other members of the Board echoed her thoughts. Chair Price felt that the person nominated for the Orange County Resident With Lived Experience should have personal experience with opioids. Commissioner Greene nominated Jefradrian Stafford and Jesse Miller. Commissioner Bedford said Jesse Miller also served as Freedom House treasurer. She said that would give perspective as a provider in addition to perspective as a person in recovery. Chair Price said she would like to keep Ed Sredzienski as a possible nominee for a flexible position. She said he is from the Cheeks Township. Commissioner Fowler said she was ok with any of the three mentioned (Jefradrian Stafford, Jesse Miller, and Ed Sredzienski), but if for another position a representative from Freedom House was nominated, she would want to choose Jefradrian Stafford and Ed Sredzienski to avoid duplication. Chair Price asked that they see how the nominations for the remaining positions goes before making any decisions. The Board then discussed the position for a Substance Use Treatment Provider. Tara May said that she thought Evan Ashkin, Elisabeth Johnson, and Joyce Harper would fit for this category. Chair Price noted that Joyce Harper did not live but worked in Orange County. Commissioner Fowler said Evan Ashkin’s experience sounded important for the position. Chair Price said Evan Ashkin has been part of the response to the opioid crisis for a while. Commissioner Bedford supported Evan Ashkin for the Substance Use Treatment Provider position. She said then Jesse Miller might be a good fit for a Orange County Resident With Lived Experience position. Commissioner Hamilton was concerned about having someone representing a dual role. She said she would rather have someone clearly advocating for one position. She said there are disadvantages to having two roles. She said, for example, as a treasurer, they might be thinking of the money instead of sharing their own lived experience. Commissioner Greene said that in the community there are a lot of people who have dual roles. She said she felt Jesse Miller would know that they were representing the lived experience role. 23 Commissioner Hamilton said she is open to the idea, she just wanted to bring it up for consideration. She said that, in her experience, sometimes people hold biases that they do not realize. Commissioner Greene said that in this case there is an overlap of interests, not conflict. Chair Price said both Commissioner Hamilton and Commissioner Greene made good points. Chair Price said it seemed like the Board was leaning towards Evan Ashkin for Substance Use Treatment Provider position, but she asked that the Board hold Joyce Harper as an option. The Board then discussed the position for a Community Group Working on Opioid-related Concerns. Tara May said she thought Gayane Chambless, Kyle Smith, Steven Marshall, and Tom Mercolino would fit in this category. Commissioner Greene also suggested Chris Ringwalt. Commissioner Bedford nominated Chris Ringwalt for the position for a Community Group Working on Opioid-related Concerns. Chair Price said he had written extensively about the topic. Commissioner Bedford noted that he helped with re-entry related to the opioid crisis. Commissioner Greene said his organization was a critical community group. The Board then discussed the position for an Employment Provider. Tara May said that in her review of the applications, she did not see anyone who would fit for this position. She said she would be happy to request for more applications specifically for this position. Commissioner Bedford suggested changing the position to an At-Large/Flexible position. The Board agreed by consensus to change the position to an At-Large/Flexible position. Chair Price wanted to nominate Gayane Chambless for a position. She said she had been involved with the opioid project from the beginning and that it would be an oversight to leave her off of the advisory committee. Commissioner Bedford said she would not support Gayane Chambless for a position. Commissioner McKee said Gayane Chambless has been working for a while in some capacity on this issue. Commissioner Bedford said her concerns stemmed from Gayane Chambless’s anger during a meeting in which the Board discussed the constitution of the advisory committee. She said she had concerns about her effectiveness as a committee member. Chair Price said she felt like it was more passion than anger. She said that Orange County might not be in this position without Gayane Chambless’s efforts. Commissioner McKee said he has been on several boards with strong personalities, but he has found that one person does not carry the day. He said he supported Gayane Chambless. Commissioner Fowler said she has worked on two other boards with Gayane Chambless and said she was helpful. She said she liked all of the applicants from the School of Health. She said she liked Natalie Blackburn, Steven Marshall, and David Colston. She said that Tiffany Barber would bring a different perspective to the advisory committee as a pharmacist. Commissioner Greene said she liked Natalie Blackburn state opioid settlement dashboard. She said that the charge for the advisory committee is to be stewards of the funding the county is receiving. She said that Kerri Hefner, as a pastor of New Hope Presbyterian, could be very helpful to the committee. She said she liked Patrick Mann’s background. She also mentioned Natalie Ziemba. She said that she felt those four applicants would be a better fit than Gayane Chambless. She said that one person can derail a discussion, and since there were so many qualified people she thought another applicant might be a better fit. Commissioner McKee said he respected Commissioner Greene’s comments. He said different experiences are valued. He said that Gayane Chambless has worked in this area for 24 years. He said that she felt strongly in the meeting about which way the Board should go, and when the Board did not go that way, she was upset. Chair Price said one of the reasons she was upset was because the task force had decided on Option B. She said that people felt like at the 11th hour it was changed to Option A. She said that other people in the community were upset with the decision, because they told Chair Price after the meeting. Commissioner McKee said that was not the first time the Board has shifted completely on a decision. Chair Price said this change was made last minute. She said the task force understood that they would make a recommendation and then disband. She said that it was a shock to the task force. She said she felt strongly that Gayane Chambless should be on the advisory committee. She said that Gayane Chambless has done a lot on this issue. She said she thought the Board should get away from considering her personality. Commissioner Bedford said she did not say that she did not like Gayane Chambless’s personality. She said she appreciated Gayane Chambless’s work on the Orange Partnership for Alcohol and Drug Free Youth. She said it was Gayane Chambless’s anger on the issue that concerned her. Commissioner Greene said there are people more qualified. Chair Price said it was passion. She said that Gayane Chambless is someone who worked on this issue even when she did not have the funding. Commissioner McKee said he would like to nominate Gayane Chambless for the advisory committee. Commissioner Greene said she thought there should be a straw poll on the nomination. Commissioner Bedford said she wanted to discuss other applicants. Chair Price said it was not a full Board and that they did not have to make the decision during the work session. Commissioner Greene said she thought the Board should decide at the work session if they were going to put her name forward for a vote at the regular meeting. Commissioner McKee noted that the Board had essentially filled the other positions. Chair Price reviewed the nominations that the Board had discussed and the individual Board members indicated their support with a thumb up hand gesture: Orange County Resident with Lived Experience (2 positions): Jeffradrian Stafford – received a consensus of support from the Board Jesse Miller – received a consensus of support from the Board Ed Sredzienski – did not receive a consensus of support from the Board Substance Use Treatment Provider: Evan Ashkin – received a consensus of support from the Board Joyce Harper – did not receive a consensus of support from the Board Elisabeth Johnson – did not receive a consensus of support from the Board Community Group Working on Opioid-related Concerns: Chris Ringwalt – received a consensus of support from the Board The Board then discussed nominations for the three At-Large/ Flex positions. Commissioner Hamilton noted that the four nominees for the other positions are all male. She said that the Board should consider gender diversity on the committee. Chair Price said that was one of the reasons she wanted the Board to consider Joyce Harper. Commissioner Greene said there is a chance with the other three positions. 25 Commissioner Fowler said her number 1 choice was Natalie Blackburn followed by Elisabeth Johnson and Tiffany Barber. Commissioner Bedford said she also supported Natalie Blackburn and Elisabeth Johnson. Commissioner Greene said she supported those suggestions. Chair Price reviewed the qualifications of Natalie Blackburn and Elisabeth Johnson. Commissioner McKee supported Natalie Blackburn. The Board agreed by consensus on Natalie Blackburn for one At-Large/Flexible position. Commissioner McKee nominated Gayane Chambless for one of the At-Large Flexible positions. The Board members indicated their support for Gayane Chambless with a thumb up hand gesture. The nomination was only supported by three commissioners, and three commissioners did not support the nomination. Chair Price said the next suggestion was Elisabeth Johnson. She and Commissioner Fowler reviewed the qualifications of Elisabeth Johnson. The Board agreed by consensus on Elisabeth Johnson for one At-Large/Flexible position. Commissioner McKee asked if the Board would consider holding off on discussing the remaining At-Large/Flexible position until Commissioner Richards could participate. Commissioner Bedford suggested Abishek Shankar for the remaining position, but she was fine holding off until Commissioner Richards was present. Chair Price said that, since the Board was tied in its support for Gayane Chambless, she felt that the nomination could go forward for a vote at a regular meeting. Commissioner Bedford said that the Board was not moving forward with Gayane Chambless because it was a tie. Chair Price reiterated that a tie meant that the nomination for Gayane Chambless could go forward. Commissioner Greene disagreed with Chair Price’s statement. Commissioner McKee said that was not the way the Board normally chose nominees. He said he would like for the full Board to discuss the remaining position. Commissioner Bedford agreed, and that all of the other names the Board discussed would remain on the list. Tara May asked the Board if they were interested in adding a County Manager designated position to the advisory committee from Department on Aging. The Board agreed by consensus to the proposal. 9. Adult Care Home Community Advisory Committee – Appointment Discussion The Board considered appointments to the Adult Care Home Community Advisory Committee. BACKGROUND: The Adult Care Home Community Advisory Committee works to maintain the intent of the Adult Care Home Residents' Bill of Rights for those residing in licensed adult care homes. The members of this Committee also promote community involvement and cooperation with these homes to ensure quality care for the elderly and disabled adults. 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’s “Applicant Interest List” for a condensed training and, if an applicant successfully completes the training, that individual would be recommended for appointment. 26 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 POSITION DESCRIPTION TYPE OF APPOINTMENT TERM EXPIRATION DATE Shade Little At-Large Second Full Term 10/31/2024 Karen Green- McElveen At-Large Second Full Term 10/31/2024 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 DESCRIPTION EXPIRATION DATE VACANCY INFORMATION At-Large 03/31/2024 Vacant since 12/09/2020 At-Large 06/30/2024 Vacant since 10/17/2020 At-Large 10/31/2022 Vacant since 10/17/2020 At-Large 10/31/2023 Vacant since 05/12/2020 At-Large 06/30/2022 Vacant since 10/31/2017 Tara May introduced the item. The Board agreed by consensus on the recommended applicants. Tara May updated the Board on the training for applicants for this Board. She said that Autumn Cox said she has been authorized to move forward internal training for applicants, but that the state has not moved forward with their portion of the training. She said that anyone with concerns should contact the state ombudsman, Victor Orija. 10. Advisory Board on Aging – Appointment Discussion The Board considered an appointment to the Advisory Board on Aging. BACKGROUND: The Advisory Board on Aging suggests policy and makes recommendations to the Board of Commissioners and the Department on Aging while acting as the liaison between the older residents of the County and the County government. It is charged with promoting needed services, programs and funding that impact the older residents. The Board of County Commissioners appoints all twelve (12) members. The following applicant is recommended for Board consideration: NAME POSITION DESCRIPTION TYPE OF APPOINTMENT TERM EXPIRATION DATE Saru Salvi At-Large First Full Term 06/30/2025 If the individual listed above is appointed, no vacancies remain. 27 Tara May introduced the item. She said that the recommended applicant is serving on two advisory boards. She said one is the Hillsborough Planning Board. She said that, according to the advisory board policy, Saru Salvi would be eligible to serve on a second county advisory board. Commissioner Bedford said the recommended applicant brings much needed diversity to the board. Chair Price said her application said she served on the Affordable Housing Board. Commissioner Bedford said that Saru Salvi recently resigned from the Affordable Housing Board. Tara May said that she did not have it in her records that Saru Salvi had resigned from the Affordable Housing Board. She said she would look into the issue. She said that if Saru Salvi was still on the Affordable Housing Board, the advisory board policy would allow for her to serve on two boards. The Board agreed by consensus on the recommended applicant. 11. Animal Services Advisory Board – Appointment Discussion The Board considered an appointment to the Animal Services Advisory Board. BACKGROUND: The charge of the Animal Services Advisory Board is to advise the Board of County Commissioners on matters of concern regarding animal issues and animals services in Orange County and to work with the Animal Services Director on various policy concerns and issues regarding County animal services. The Board of County Commissioners appoints all thirteen (13) members with representation from various related fields and municipalities. The following individual is recommended for Board consideration: NAME POSITION DESCRIPTION TYPE OF APPOINTMENT TERM EXPIRATION DATE Michael Delafield Town of Chapel Hill Partial Term 06/30/2024 If the individual listed above is appointed, the following vacancies remain: POSITION DESIGNATION EXPIRATION DATE VACANCY INFORMATION Town of Carrboro 06/30/2024 Vacant since 06/30/2021 At-Large 06/30/2025 Vacant since 09/21/2022 Tara May introduced the item. The Board agreed by consensus on the recommended applicant. Commissioner Fowler asked about the remaining vacant positions. Tara May said the remaining applicant for the Animal Services Advisory Board has not responded to emails, so she was not sure the applicant was still interested in serving. 12. Board of Health – Appointment Discussion The Board considered an appointment to the Board of Health. BACKGROUND: The Board of Health makes policy and is charged with protecting and promoting public health in Orange County. 28 The Board of County Commissioners appoints all eleven (11) members with representation from specific health-related professions and the general public. The following applicant is recommended for Board consideration: NAME SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE TYPE OF APPOINTMENT TERM EXPIRATION DATE Dr. Rachel Royce At-Large Partial Term 06/30/2023 If the individual listed above is appointed, no vacancies remain. Tara May introduced the item. The Board agreed by consensus on the recommended applicant. 13. Carrboro Northern Transition Area Advisory Committee – Appointment Discussion The Board considered an appointment to the Carrboro Northern Transition Area Advisory Committee. BACKGROUND: The Carrboro Northern Transition Area Advisory Committee reviews zoning amendment requests and special/conditional use permit applications for developments within the Northern Transition Area of Carrboro. The committee makes recommendations to the Carrboro Board of Adjustment or Carrboro Town Council. It inventories areas of cultural, archaeological, historical significance; areas of open space, rural character, scenic qualities, biological values; areas of agricultural uses; and makes recommendations based on the above studies for additional policies, goals, etc. that will preserve and enhance the special character of this area, and relate to its growth. The Board of County Commissioners appoints three (3) members. All members must be residents of the Northern Transition Area. The Carrboro Town Council may make recommendations for these positions. The following applicant is recommended for Board consideration: NAME POSITION DESCRIPTION TYPE OF APPOINTMENT TERM EXPIRATION DATE Jennifer Conrad BOCC Appointee First Full Term 01/31/2023 If the individual listed above is appointed, no vacancies remain. Tara May introduced the item. She said the abstract had a typo, and that the appointment would be for a partial term ending in January 2023. She said then the recommended applicant would be eligible for a first full term. Chair Price asked for clarification on the partial term followed by the first full term. She noted that the appointment under consideration would only be for a few months. The Board decided instead to appoint the recommended applicant for a first full term. 29 14. Chapel Hill Orange County Visitors Bureau Advisory Board – Appointment Discussion The Board considered appointments to the Chapel Hill Orange County Visitors Bureau Advisory Board. BACKGROUND: The Chapel Hill Orange County Visitors Bureau Advisory Board is charged with developing and coordinating visitor services in Orange County. It also implements marketing programs that will enhance the economic activity and quality of life in the community. The Board of County Commissioners appoints all 17 members, with representation from specific entities and fields. The following individuals are presented for Board consideration: NAME POSITION DESCRIPTION TYPE OF APPOINTMENT TERM EXPIRATION DATE Grace Holtkamp Hillsborough Chamber of Commerce Partial Term 12/31/2023 Karen Dehart NC High School Athletic Association First Full Term 12/31/2025 If the individuals listed above are appointed, the following vacancy remains: POSITION DESIGNATION EXPIRATION DATE VACANCY INFORMATION Orange County Arts Commission 12/31/2023 Vacant since 02/28/2022 Tara May introduced the item. The Board agreed by consensus on the recommended applicants. Tara May said that staff are in discussion about getting a recommendation for the Orange County Arts Commission position. 15. Nursing Home Community Advisory Committee – Appointment Discussion The Board considered 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 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’s “Applicant Interest List” for a condensed training and, if the applicant successfully completes the training, that individual would be recommended for appointment. 30 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 POSITION DESCRIPTION TYPE OF APPOINTMENT TERM EXPIRATION DATE Vibeke Talley At-Large One Year Extension 12/31/2023 Dr. Carol Kelly At-Large One Year Extension 12/31/2023 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 vacancy remains: POSITION DESCRIPTION EXPIRATION DATE VACANCY INFORMATION At-Large 06/30/2025 Vacant since 08/25/2021 At-Large 09/30/2023 Vacant since 11/06/2019 Nursing Home Administration 06/30/2023 Vacant since 12/12/2018 At-Large 03/31/2023 Vacant since 08/25/2021 At-Large 03/31/2023 Vacant since 06/21/2017 Tara May introduced the item. She said that, as with the Adult Care Home Community Advisory Committee, getting applicants trained in a timely manner has been difficult. She said the extensions for the recommended applicants is to provide continuity for the committee until new members can take their seats. She said there are applicants, they just cannot get appointed yet due to training schedule issues. The Board agreed by consensus on the recommended applicants. 16. Orange County Housing Authority Board – Appointments Discussion The Board considered appointments to the Orange County Housing Authority Board. BACKGROUND: The goal of the Orange County Housing Authority Board is to provide decent, safe, and sanitary housing for the low and moderate income families in the County. This Board has opted not to make recommendations for these positions. The Board of County Commissioners appoints all seven (7) members. The following positions are presented for Board consideration: NAME POSITION DESCRIPTION TYPE OF APPOINTMENT TERM EXPIRATION DATE BOCC Appointment At-Large Partial Term 06/30/2024 BOCC Appointment At-Large Partial Term 06/30/2024 If the individuals listed above are appointed, the following vacancy remains: 31 POSITION DESCRIPTION EXPIRATION DATE VACANCY INFORMATION At-Large 06/30/2024 Vacant since 06/01/2022 Tara May introduced the item. She said that the Housing Authority Board does not make recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners. She said that the two applicants, Jana E. Murdock-Doherty and Jenn Sykes are eligible for the board. She said that Jenn Sykes serves on two other advisory boards, the Human Relations Commission and the Affordable Housing Advisory Board. She said that the Advisory Board Policy allows for individuals to serve on two advisory boards, and it does not limit an individual’s ability to serve on non-advisory boards. She said the Housing Authority Board is not an advisory board. The Board agreed by consensus to nominate Jana E. Murdock-Doherty and Jenn Sykes for the Housing Authority Board. 17. Orange Unified Transportation Board - Appointment Discussion The Board considered an appointment to the Orange Unified Transportation Board. BACKGROUND: The Orange Unified Transportation Board (OUTBoard) advises the Orange County Board of County Commissioners on the overall planning and programming of transportation improvements in the County. The Board of County Commissioners appoints all fourteen (14) members, with representation from each of the County’s townships. The OUTBoard does not make recommendations. The following individual is presented for Board consideration: NAME POSITION DESCRIPTION TYPE OF APPOINTMENT TERM EXPIRATION DATE Jamie Crandell Eno Township First Full Term (re-appointment) 09/30/2025 If the positions listed above are filled, the following vacancies remain: POSITION DESIGNATION EXPIRATION DATE VACANCY INFORMATION At-Large 09/30/2025 Vacant since 10/01/2022 At-Large 09/30/2023 Vacant since 05/11/2022 At-Large 09/30/2025 Vacant since 07/21/2022 At-Large 09/30/2025 Vacant since 10/01/2022 Tara May introduced the item. She said there are four other vacancies on the board for which she will be advertising. The Board agreed by consensus to nominate Jamie Crandall for re-appointment. Commissioner McKee asked for clarification on outreach efforts to advertise vacancies. Tara May said she issues quarterly calls for applicants as well as calls for specific vacancies as needed. She said it is posted on the website, Facebook, and the county’s informational listserv for the county. She said it is posted as a monthly ad in the News of Orange. Chair Price said it often is released more than quarterly and is in the Friday county newsletter. 32 Commissioner McKee said it confuses him that there is not more interest in this board, given the interest in the community in transportation. Commissioner Hamilton suggested placing advertisements on buses. Commissioner McKee encouraged other ways of getting information out, such as at community centers. He said ads on buses would be perfect. Tara May said there is a slide requesting applicants showing regularly on county monitors. She said it could be updated to show current vacancies. Commissioner Hamilton suggested looking at how applicants heard about the vacancies. Tara May said she had that data and would review. Commissioner Bedford said that she and Tara May are taking a class on advisory boards and commissions at UNC-Pembroke on October 28, 2022. She said there would be a work session in a few weeks to discuss advisory boards and commissions. She asked that the Board consider ideas for improving the advisory boards and commissions process. Chair Price said the Board should consider what process they want to follow. She said that the Board used to do all of the discussion at a business meeting, then vote on the appointments. She said that was changed to have discussion about the applicants at the work session, instead. She said there is a question if commissioners should be talking to the applicants. Commissioner Bedford said one of the representatives for OWASA leaves the board in a year. She said the Board should consider if they want a more in-depth process for any board. Commissioner McKee said it was good that discussions about advisory boards do not happen at 10:30 p.m. anymore. He said it was hard to discuss when he felt tired and burned out from the business meeting. Chair Price said it gave the Board a chance to really consider the diversity of the advisory boards and commissions. Commissioner Fowler said that Alliance still does not have a non-commissioner representative from Orange County. Chair Price asked what the application process is for the Alliance board. Commissioner Fowler said the application is on the Alliance website and the applicant must go through an interview process with them. Bonnie Hammersley said if anyone knows someone who would be qualified to be on the Alliance board, they can direct them to the application. Commissioner Fowler thought she might know someone. Commissioner Bedford said some of the applicants they reviewed during the work session might be a good fit. Bonnie Hammersley said the commissioners could let someone at Alliance know about it and staff will reach out directly. A motion was made by Commissioner Bedford and seconded by Commissioner Fowler to adjourn the meeting at 9:11 p.m. VOTE: UNANIMOUS Renee Price, Chair Recorded by Tara May, Deputy Clerk to the Board and Laura Jensen, Clerk to the Board Submitted for approval by Laura Jensen, Clerk to the Board.