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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes-02-16-2023-Business Meeting 1 APPROVED 3/21/23 MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WORK SESSION February 16, 2023 7:00 p.m. The Orange County Board of Commissioners met for a Work Session on Thursday, February 16, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. at the Whitted Human Services Center in Hillsborough, NC. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Jamezetta Bedford, Vice-Chair Earl McKee, and Commissioners Amy Fowler (arrived at 7:11 p.m.), Sally Greene, Jean Hamilton, Phyllis Portie-Ascott, and Anna Richards COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: COUNTY ATTORNEYS PRESENT: John Roberts COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager Bonnie Hammersley and Clerk to the Board Laura Jensen. (All other staff members will be identified appropriately below) COUNTY STAFF ABSENT: Chair Bedford called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. All commissioners were present, except for Commissioner Fowler. Chair Bedford asked the Board if, after the annual work plan summaries, Commissioner Richards could provide a brief overview of the NACo Legislative Meeting she recently attended. The Board indicated agreement with that addition. Oaths of Office for Board Member • United States Representative Valerie Foushee administered the oath to Commissioner Phyllis Portie-Ascott The Board welcomed Commissioner Portie-Ascott to the Board. Commissioner Portie-Ascott thanked everyone for their support. She expressed thanks to her family members, the Orange County Democratic Party, and to Representative Valerie Foushee for administering the oath of office. She said she would do her best for the residents of District 2 and the county. Commissioner Fowler arrived at 7:11 pm. 1. Boards and Commissions —Annual Work Plan Summaries The Board provided feedback and 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 March 14, 2023 work session. Dr. Heather Altman presented on behalf of the Advisory Board on Aging. She said she will soon rotate off the board. She said she represents the face and voice of caregivers. She said she quit her job to become a caretaker for her parents. She said everything the advisory board does is to help older adults age well in the community. She said there is a tremendous amount of community partnerships to help put programs together and to help develop the master aging plan. She said that the master aging plan is not a document, but a mission and a guidepost. 2 She said besides community partners, volunteers give time on a daily basis. She said Orange County continues to be a leader when it comes to aging issues. She said that the previous week, the television show NC Impact focused on dementia-friendly business efforts. She said Orange County was highlighted in its work. She said Orange County was highlighted in several state- wide initiatives. She said the county continues to be looked at to share experiences and lessons learned. She said they continue to focus on the complexities, challenges and opportunities in being a dementia-capable community. She said they will update the master aging plan to make sure it meets the current needs of the community. She said they will continue to focus on affordable accessible housing for older adults. She said the county needs more in-home services and support for older adults and caregivers. She said there is a shortage of direct care workers. She asked the Board to encourage people to value their work and appropriately compensate a critical and essential workforce. She encouraged the Board to visit the senior centers. She issued an invitation for the Board to come on a weekly radio show she hosts called "Aging Well Together." Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked about the pay for direct care workers. She asked what is the starting pay and what does it need to be. Dr. Altman said there is a goal to get the pay to $18 an hour. She said statewide it is around $13 an hour, and in our area it is around $15 an hour. She said Orange County's living wage is $16.60 an hour. Janice Tyler, Director of the Department on Aging, said contractors with her department pay a living wage. Shade Little presented on behalf of the Adult Care Home Community Advisory Committee. He said they currently have three members. He said they recently began training new members. He asked the Board to approve new members as their applications come up to keep things moving along. He also said they need new members if they know anyone who is interested. He said that the staff of adult care homes do hard work that is important, and the visits that they conduct are very important. Commissioner Richards said she was concerned about the state of adult care homes. She asked how the adult care homes were licensed. Bonnie Hammersley said it is a state license but the homes are in Orange County. Commissioner Richards said she is concerned about some of the items in the report and asked what can be done. Shade Little said the generators could help and that they have been lucky so far. Commissioner Richards asked what the county could do. Bonnie Hammersley said it is all regulated by the state and any deficiencies would be handled by the state. Commissioner Hamilton asked what the optimal number would be for the committee. Shade Little said they could have up to ten members, but he would be happy with just a few more. Tara May said there are ten positions on the committee. Commissioner Hamilton said it is important to hear if the numbers are state guidelines or up to the county. She said that she has visited most of the adult care homes in the area and while the county cannot regulate a lot of things, having a committee of people to go into the facilities is crucial. Shade Little said that there have been people interested but it has taken a while. Chair Bedford said that members have to have training for over a year to be eligible to visit the homes and make reports. She said that during COVID, there was no training or visits and that has had an impact on current membership. Commissioner Greene said there is some frustration that the Board is not doing their paperwork on time. She said that they are seeing that no one is qualified at this point and therefore they can't make the appointments. She said that a refresher on the training and requirements 3 would be helpful. She said that the ombudsmen have no power and that is very frustrating. She said that it is critical to have the ombudsman Shade Little said that at the end of the visit to an adult care home they provide a report to management but keep it anonymous if there is a report from a resident. Commissioner Fowler asked if the committee receives feedback from the state on the response to their concerns. Shade Little said their ombudsman is contacted. Commissioner Fowler asked if trained applicants will be brought to the Board soon for appointment. Tara May said that she spoke with the ombudsman, and they reported that the state has not started training back at this time and she is unsure when that might be done. Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked how often the state pays visits to adult care homes Tara May said that she is unsure of that but will gladly contact Autumn Cox and schedule a time for her to come speak to the Board. Jacqulyn Podger presented on behalf of the Nursing Home Community Advisory Committee. She said they resumed in-person visits in July 2022 to nursing homes in the community. She said they are excited to be able to go and do the work they have been charged to do. She said they have had challenges with recruiting. She said that it is a time commitment and there are also health risks. She said that some of things they hear are not always pleasant and that makes it difficult work. She said they have six members, and their allotment is ten. She said that prospective members must receive training, but that the state has not resumed training. She said they are recruiting heavily. Commissioner Richards asked if the Nursing Home Community Advisory Committee is incorporated in the master aging plan. Jacqulyn Podger said there is a mandate from the last Master Aging Plan. She said they are going over the Master Aging Plan and seeing where they might provide support. Commissioner Richards said that it seems like these two groups should be included. Dr. Heather Altman said both of the committees come to the monthly meeting of the Aging Advisory Board and that they are certainly linked. Commissioner Richards asked if they are in the plan. Janice Tyler said they were under community health and support and provided input into the plan. Commissioner Richards clarified that they had input into the plan. Commissioner Fowler said she really appreciates what the two committees are doing to protect vulnerable people. Jacqulyn Podger said they believe in the residents' rights. Commissioner Hamilton asked if ten members is enough to do the work. Jacqulyn Podger said yes, if all of the positions were filled. Keith Bagby presented on behalf of the Board of Health. He described a successful collaboration of Family Success Alliance and Gateway Collaboration, with DSS, Department of Housing, Human Rights and Relations, Hillsborough Police Department and Orange County Schools, formed to address the needs of residents in the Gateway Community Apartments. He said that is HUD property and most residents are African-American single mothers. He said that the residents experience poor living conditions, domestic violence, substance abuse, reoccurring child protective involvement and transportation issues. He said that no one should have to live like that. He said that residents had trust issues with law enforcement, county government, and the landlord. He said the coalition came together to gather information from residents. He said several community events were hosted. He said there was an agreement reached between property management and the coalition. He said that tutoring has been implemented, DSS and the Health Department received approval from the County Manager to lease an apartment there and work on site, Orange Literacy will begin offering tutoring and GED classes, local law 4 enforcement uses the site and helps by being part of community events. He said that the collaboration is working. Commissioner Richards asked how many families were impacted. Quintana Stewart said that sixty-four residential units were impacted. Keith Bagby said that every four years Orange County is required to complete a community health assessment. He said that the Board of Health is working on the process for 2023. He said the goal is to assist with health issues for Orange County residents. He said that there will be several ways for people to respond to the survey. Commissioner Fowler asked what they do with the data from the community health assessment and was there follow-up for 2019. Quintana Stewart said some was implemented but COVID interrupted that. She said that some will probably be mentioned again in the next cycle. Keith Bagby said they want to make sure they are getting feedback from Orange County residents. Pat Garavaglia presented on behalf of the Board of Social Services. She said that progress has been made with staffing issues but work continues. She said that staff is paying more than 2,700 utility bills for Orange County residents. She said that DSS continues to have difficulty recruiting staff and there are currently 25 vacant positions. She said that options are needed to reduce the burden on staff. She said that all of the efforts are designed to decrease the time that children are in out of home placements. She said there are also a few situations with vulnerable adults. She said that the end of the public health emergency in May will add additional burdens. She said that Medicaid expansion may be approved in North Carolina and this would benefit Orange County but also add to the need of staff. Vice-Chair McKee said he expects Medicaid expansion to pass this year. He asked how many more staff members will be needed if that happens. Lindsey Shewmaker, DSS Human Services Manager, said they have had conversations with the County Manager and those numbers will be included in the budget. Bonnie Hammersley said she had heard earlier that day that the cost to counties for those positions will be completely funded by the state with no county match required for those positions. She said regardless of how many are needed, they can't find people to hire. Vice-Chair McKee asked if it is related to qualifications or a lack of applicants. Bonnie Hammersley said there aren't enough people for the number of jobs. Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked where children go if there aren't enough foster parents available. Lindsey Shewmaker said that they are working on long-term placements rather than short- term placements. Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked if the decrease in foster families was new. Lindsey Shewmaker said that it is a state-wide problem and they are looking at state-wide solutions. Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked if the reimbursement rate was difficult to get people interested in being foster parents. Lindsey Shewmaker said it is a large responsibility. She said that the mental health system is part of the issue, and it is a combination of several things that have increased the number of children needing foster care. Commissioner Hamilton asked how many of the 19,000 are people on Medicaid and how many are families. Lindsey Shewmaker said most long-term Medicaid cases are families. She said there is a dashboard that shows the number of people in Orange County and the type of benefit they are receiving. Commissioner Hamilton asked about the role of compensation in the shortage of social workers. 5 Lindsey Shewmaker said that compensation plays a role, but it is also important to find the right people to fill the roles. She said that Orange County also competes with Durham and Wake counties to hire people. Commissioner Richards asked how many children are in DSS custody. Lindsey Shewmaker said 86 right now but she does not have the exact number. She said that is a 20 child increase over the last two years. Commissioner Richards asked how many are not in a long term or consistent placement. Lindsey Shewmaker said she can bring that data back but she does not have that with her. Commissioner Fowler said that Alliance Health Plan is committed to addressing the gap in placements for children in DSS custody. Lindsey Shewmaker said they are doing a lot of work to try to keep families intact. Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked if a situation has occurred where a child needs to be taken out of a home but has not been because there is no place for them to go. Lindsey Shewmaker said that safety is the number one priority, and a child would not be left in an unsafe situation. She said they would utilize hotel rooms or a rental property if necessary, staffed by social workers. Gina Reyman presented on behalf of the Orange County Parks and Recreation Council. She said that parks and recreation is part of the quality of life in the county, and she expressed appreciation for the Board's support. She said that the council has been reviewing the Parks and Recreation master plan. She said they will get a progress report to the Board in June. She said that 2023 is the Year of the Trail and the council is supporting activities and events in relation to that. She expressed appreciation to DEAPR staff for their support of the council. She said that pickleball is an emerging need due to community interest and they would benefit from more places to play. She said connections with the school systems and Sportsplex would help increase opportunities. Vice-Chair McKee asked if the Sportsplex pool is open to the public. Gina Reyman said it is with a membership and Orange County Schools can have a lower membership fee. Commissioner Greene asked if the Town of Hillsborough is on the radar as a partner for any of the recreation needs. Gina Reyman said yes and all of the towns are eligible partners. Paul Noe presented on behalf of the Historic Preservation Commission. He read the charge of the commission. He described the current projects the commission is undertaking. He said they are working on the Ridge Road School and the Strayhorn house and these homes have increased the diversity of the historic properties. He said that the Cedar Grove School and the Schley Grange Hall have successfully been added to the historic list. He said they are on track to publish a book on Orange County historical properties in 2023. He said that UNC Press has agreed to market and distribute the book. He said going forward, a countywide historic marker program will be focused on. He said that it will be interactive content. He said they have recently found out about two abandoned cemeteries of formerly enslaved people. He said they plan to develop a small grant program to help protect properties like this. Commissioner Richards said she likes the idea of the electronic marker program. Paul Noe said there is a software program that may be a good fit for the electronic maker program. Commissioner Greene said she was glad to see the electronic marker would also include some physical markers as well. She said she is glad to see it will be a hybrid marker system. She said that she agrees with the emphasis on marking sites of importance to the Black communities and applauds them for being at the forefront of this kind of work. Dr. Jane Saiers presented on behalf of the Agricultural Preservation Board. She said farmland is essential for local food security. She said there is a need for a strong local food system 6 and that is farmland. She said that farmland is being lost rapidly. She said that Orange County has worked to mitigate the losses. She said North Carolina ranks 2nd in farmland lost to non- agricultural uses. She said the acceleration of the loss of farmland shows there is a need to do more. Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked how many farms may be in danger. Dr. Saiers said that there are 700 farms in the county. She said there has been a dramatic decrease since 2017. She said that trend is state and nation-wide. Commissioner Greene thanked Dr. Saiers for her work on the Agricultural Preservation Board and the Food Council. Vice-Chair McKee said that a recent sale of undeveloped tract of farmland sold for $280,000 for ten acres, that makes every farm in Orange County a potential for development. Dr. Saiers said she does not know any farmers that are in it to make a ton of money. She said that the first task is figuring out how to make farming profitable enough to make a living. She said that hopefully, this, along with the love of the land will keep them there. Vice-Chair McKee said he rented and farmed a tract of land for 19 years. He said when the primary owner passed away, the family sold it. He said he made more money in two years developing the land than in the 19 years that he farmed it. Commissioner Fowler asked if the WASMBPA requirements have had an impact on farmland loss. Dr. Saiers said that farmland is often converted to large-lot developments. She said that rural buffers do not prevent that. Veronica Penn-Beattie presented on behalf of the Commission for the Environment. She reviewed the work of the Commission over the last year and what they have for 2023. She said the Right of Way Task Force is back in action. She said they plan to start the planning of the 2024 state of the environment report. She said they are very involved in the Climate Action Plan. She said they plan to bring forward a tree canopy policy and focus on water quality issues. She said they want to make sure that Orange County Schools and Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools receive environmental grants, and that they have ideas to help the schools. She said they want to make sure more people are aware of the Climate Action Grants. She said that they are focusing on recruitment for diversity and inclusion. Commissioner Richards said that the schools have an opportunity to submit projects and if a school does or does not submit, that has nothing to do with the Commissioners. Veronica Penn-Beattie said she agrees but thinks there is something the commission can do to make it easier for the schools to submit and the commission has a recommendation on how to amend the application that might increase the number of applicants. Commissioner Richards said that would need to go to the schools because if it comes back to the Board, there is nothing they can do to make the schools submit. Vice-Chair McKee said it is the responsibility of the schools to develop their program and their request for a grant. He said it is not the role of another organization to help them. Veronica Penn-Beattie said that is correct and that one of the school systems has a sustainability manager and one does not. She said the same one has not been able to submit an application. Vice-Chair McKee said that is a responsibility of the school. Commissioner Hamilton asked what their ideas are for recruitment of diversity. Veronica Penn-Beattie said that the Commission for the Environment has not done much to have a public facing commission. She said they are working to collaborate with other agencies and events to get their name out more. Commissioner Fowler said she was looking forward to achieving the county's Climate Action Plan. Commissioner Richards asked about the Greene Tract. 7 David Stancil, Director of Environment, Agriculture, Parks, and Recreation, said that public access to the Greene Tract trails is being discussed. He said that there are areas that need to be fixed and realigned on the county owned portion of the Headwaters Preserve. He said that as the rest of the conversation for the Greene Tract plays out, there may be additional conversations to be had. Commissioner Richards asked if they are referring only to the county-owned portion of the Greene Tract. David Stancil said yes and that if there is a jointly held area of open space, then it would make sense to look at those two things together but that would be a future conversation. Vice-Chair McKee asked for clarification on the reassessment of access to Headwaters Preserve. David Stancil said they currently have access that takes place on a regular basis. He said that years ago, the county was looking at creating an interim access area to create a way to get to the Headwaters Preserve. He said that the biggest part of that is realigning the trails that have been built over the years and moving them off eco-sensitive areas. Vice-Chair McKee clarified that he is not hearing the limiting of public access. David Stancil said that is correct and that they would actually be formalizing public access. Commissioner Greene said that it sounds like volunteer trails have been created on county owned land but not to any plan. David Stancil said that is correct and they hope to fix that. Commissioner Greene said that sounds like a problem. She asked if they were already on the task of fixing those trails. David Stancil said the Headwaters Preserve is already on track to be addressed and reconfigured. He said that the attorney helped them develop interim access. Chair Bedford said she is very interested in the tree canopy policy recommendations. She suggested that the mountain bike trails be reviewed to make sure they are not degrading habitat. Veronica Penn-Beattie said they received two additional applications but have not had a chance to review those yet. Dr. Nathalie Volkheimer presented on behalf of the Human Relations Commission. She said their role is diversity and inclusion. She said they try to reduce discrimination and increase equity. She said they have to be aware and outspoken when they see inequity. She said they have a full board, but most members are very new. She said they look for recognition in individuals and groups that support the mission of the Human Relations Commissions. She said they also have community conversations and support other community events. She said that their board is very diverse however, those on the board can't be useful to the community without having knowledge. She said they have undergone training to assist the members to understand diversity and inclusion widely. Commissioner Fowler said that October is Disability Awareness Month if they want to include that. She asked if they are addressing sexual orientation or identity on the Facebook page. Nathalie Volkheimer said she did this on her own last year and knows many historic days and months. She said if there is not a day that goes by that they have not done. She said that she loves what she does. Commissioner Hamilton asked if there could be a presence on the county's website for the Human Relations Commission. Nathalie Volkheimer said she found out about the commission by Orange County's Twitter page. She said that everything they promote is available for the county to promote. She said they have been in touch with the county's media staff and they know they would love the resharing. 8 Update on NACo Legislative Meeting — this item was added at the beginning of the work session Commissioner Richards gave the Board an overview of the sessions and events she attended the previous weekend at the NACo Legislative Meeting. She showed the Board a list of the various topics. She said there was a summit on mental health solutions and they discussed the new NACo Commission on Mental Health and Well-Being. She said she got a lot of information from the conference that she would share with the management team. She said that NACo is implementing mental health first aid training. She said it's like CPR for mental health and teaches how to recognize when someone on your team is in a mental health crisis. She said that they really do research and policy and work with the federal government to get change made. She said she presented how the county spent ARPA funds and that it might be included in what they share with Capitol Hill. 2. Advisory Board on Aging — Appointment Discussion The Board made 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 older adults of the County and County government. It is charged with promoting needed services, programs, and funding that impacts older residents. The Board of County Commissioners appoints all twelve (12) members. The following applicant is recommended for Board consideration: NAME POSITION TYPE OF EXPIRATION DESCRIPTION APPOINTMENT DATE TERM Ann Bradford Carrboro Town Limits Partial Term 06/30/2024 If the individual listed above is appointed, the following vacancy remains: POSITION EXPIRATION VACANCY INFORMATION DESIGNATION DATE At-Large 06/30/2023 Vacant since 11/17/2022 Tara May, Deputy Clerk to the Board, introduced the item. The Board agreed by consensus on the recommended applicant. Commissioner Greene asked for clarification if the Advisory Board on Aging would have made a recommendation for the vacancy, except they had not yet had a chance to meet. Janice Tyler said that the board met earlier in the week and will be sending recommendations to a future meeting. The Board agreed to wait to hear from the Advisory Board on Aging before filling the vacancy. 3. Affordable Housing Advisory Board — Appointments Discussion The Board made 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 9 to increase the community's awareness of, understanding of, commitment to, and involvement in producing attractive affordable housing. As a general practice, this board has decided not to make recommendations for vacancies going forward. The Board of County Commissioners appoints all fifteen (15) At-Large members. The following positions and individuals are presented for Board consideration: NAME SPECIAL TYPE OF EXPIRATION REPRESENTATIVE APPOINTMENT DATE TERM BOCC At-Large First Full Term 06/30/2025 Appointment BOCC At-Large Partial Term 06/30/2024 Appointment BOCC At-Large Partial Term 06/30/2023 Appointment BOCC At-Large Partial Term 06/30/2024 Appointment BOCC At-Large First Full Term 06/30/2025 Appointment BOCC At-Large Partial Term 06/30/2024 Appointment If the positions listed above are filled, no vacancies remain. Tara May, Deputy Clerk to the Board, introduced the item. Commissioner Greene clarified that the Board does not have to fill all six positions at this time. Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked why the Affordable Housing Advisory Board does not make recommendations. Tara May said that the Affordable Housing Advisory Board used to make recommendations, but they weren't always the same members appointed by the Board of Commissioners. She said that the Affordable Housing Advisory Board decided that since the decision was ultimately up to the Board of Commissioners, they would no longer provide recommendations. The Board agreed by consensus on the following applicants for future appointment to the board: Sarah Adams Patrick McGarry Mary Towell Matthew Arlyn Lynn Nilssen David Parrish 4. Animal Services Advisory Board —Appointments Discussion The Board made appointments 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 animal services in 10 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 individuals are recommended for Board consideration: NAME POSITION TYPE OF EXPIRATION DESCRIPTION APPOINTMENT DATE TERM Cathy Munnier Animal Partial Term 06/30/2023 Welfare/Advocacy Allan Polak Certified Animal First Full Term 06/30/2025 Handler/ (re-appointment) Trainer/Technician Dr. Sunita Veterinarian Second Full Term 06/30/2025 Driehuys If the individuals listed above are appointed, the following vacancies remain: POSITION EXPIRATION VACANCY INFORMATION DESIGNATION DATE Town of Carrboro 06/30/2024 Vacant since 06/30/2021 Town of 06/30/2024 Vacant since 10/18/2022 Hillsborough Non-municipality 06/30/2024 Vacant since 11/30/2022 At-Large 06/30/2025 Vacant since 09/21/2022 Tara May, Deputy Clerk to the Board, introduced the item. She said that the Animal Services Advisory Board made a late recommendation for Deborah Hill for the Town of Carrboro vacancy. The Board agreed by consensus on the recommended applicants. They also agreed on Deborah Hill for the Town of Carrboro vacancy as recommended by the Animal Services Advisory Board. 5. Chapel Hill Orange County Visitors Bureau Advisory Board —Appointments Discussion The Board made 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: 11 NAME POSITION TYPE OF EXPIRATION DESCRIPTION APPOINTMENT DATE TERM Commissioner Town of Hillsborough Third Full Term 12/31/2025 Mark Bell Board of Commissioners Mayor Damon Carrboro Town First Full Term 12/31/2025 Seils Council re-appointment Beverly Payne Alliance for Historic Second Full Term 12/31/2025 Hillsborough Anita "Spring" Economic Second Full Term 12/31/2025 Council Development Staff- Town of Chapel Hill If the individuals listed above are appointed, the following vacancy remains: POSITION EXPIRATION VACANCY INFORMATION DESIGNATION DATE Orange County 12/31/2023 Vacant since 02/28/2022 Arts Commission Tara May, Deputy Clerk to the Board, introduced the item. The Board agreed by consensus on the recommended applicants. 6. Commission for the Environment—Appointments Discussion The Board made 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 15 members, including 10 At-Large members and 5 members with expertise in specific fields. The following individuals are recommended for Board consideration: NAME POSITION TYPE OF EXPIRATION DESCRIPTION APPOINTMENT DATE TERM Dr. Elizabeth Water Resources Partial Term 12/31/2024 Christenson Andrea Biological Sciences First Full Term 12/31/2025 Zimmerman If the individuals listed above are appointed, the following vacancy remains: POSITION EXPIRATION VACANCY INFORMATION DESIGNATION DATE At-Large 12/31/2025 Vacant since 12/31/2022 12 Tara May, Deputy Clerk to the Board, introduced the item. The Board agreed by consensus on the recommended applicants. The Board agreed to hold the vacant position open to give the Commission for the Environment a chance to make a recommendation. Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked about the follow-up for people who applied to be on an advisory board but were not ultimately appointed. Tara May said that she lets them know that their applications will stay on file for two years. She said she reaches out to those applicants when vacancies come up to gauge if they are still interested and eligible. Vice-Chair McKee said he applied to the Planning Board for years before he was appointed. Commissioner Richards asked if Tara May had noticed an increase in applications since she began advertising vacancies to a wider variety of mailing lists. Tara May said she has seen more interest since she reached out to the realtors and bar association mailing lists. Commissioner Richards said she has seen it in a few different places. Tara May said she thought the extra effort of mailing the vacancies to organizations that also have newsletters has been helpful. Chair Bedford said Jeff Scott applied for Affordable Housing, but she wondered if the Board should ask him to also apply for the Board of Adjustment given his interest. Commissioner Greene encouraged the Board to continue promoting advisory boards and commissions vacancies as well. Tara May explained a spreadsheet that was included at each commissioners' place that will be considered at the February 21, 2023 business meeting. She said the spreadsheet showed positions that commissioners sit on for various county and regional boards and commissions. Adjournment A motion was made by Vice-Chair McKee and seconded by Commissioner Hamilton to adjourn the meeting at 9:35 p.m. VOTE: UNANIMOUS Jamezetta Bedford, Chair Recorded by Laura Jensen, Clerk to the Board Submitted for approval by Laura Jensen, Clerk to the Board.