HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 02-23-2004-3bORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: February 23, 2004
Action Agenda
Item No. ~=b
SUBJECT: Social Justice Goal for County Government
DEPARTMENT: County Manager
PUBLIC HEARING: (Y!N) No
ATTACHMENT(S):
List of Possible Items for Inclusion in a
Social .Justice Goal
INFORMATION CONTACT:
Gwen Harvey, Assistant County
Manager, ext, 2300
Sharron Hinton, Director of Community
Program, ext. 2300
TELEPHONE NUMBERS:
Hillsborough 732-8181
Chapel Hill 968-4501
Durham 688-7331
Mebane 336-227-2031
PURPOSE: To receive feedback and direction from the BOCC on its interest in having staff
develop a Social Justice Goal for possible adoption,
BACKGROUND: The BOCC discussed during its 2002 Retreat the idea of establishing a
Social Justice Goal, Several items were mentioned and these are reflected in the attachment,
The directors of Economic Development, Social Services, Public Health, Housing and
Community Development, Human Rights and Relations, and Community Programs, along with
the director of Orange-Person-Chatham Mental Health, have met on several occasions since
then to begin addressing this list by first examining what was already occurring within their
program areas to address issues such as "affordable housing" or "nursing home oversight", For
example, the award of HOME and Affordable Housing bonds to community non-profits and the
creation of the Long Term Care Roundtable are representative of activities currently underway
and supported by the BOCC that support social justice concerns,
At the last meeting held in November 2003, the directors added new items for general
discussion to the list; e.g, the housing wage and family-friendly practices in the workplace,
Discussion also centered on how to ensure fair and equitable distribution of public resources
and services across all population groups (gender, disability, ethnicity/race, socio-economics,
etc.) in the County as one approach for drafting a Social Justice Goal for the BOGC to consider.
In that context, the directors thought it would be useful to look at how and if Orange County
residents have an equal chance to get the help they may need,
At this point, County staff would like further feedback from the BOCC on whether it wants to
formally pursue adoption of a Social Justice Goal and direction on what it wishes that goal to
address,
FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with goal discussion and
development. The BQCC and staff would need to be concerned with any costs that might
attach to programmatic measures that could be required as a result of adopting a Social Justice
Goal far implementation.
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board provide further feedback
and direction to staff.
SOCIAL JUSTICE GOAL
POSSIBLE ITEMS SUGGESTED BY COMMISSIONERS FOR
INCLUSION
(FROM BOCC RETREAT AND/OR THE BOARD CHAIR, 2002)
Theme: Assure a basic safety net is provided for all Orange County residents.
Specific Items Mentioned:
Commitment to providing and promoting a Living Wage
2, Fuel fund and assistance with utilities
3. Affordable Housing Fund
4. Urgent home repair program
Affirmative hiring policy
6, Outside agency funding as a significant part of the budget
Child caze challenge funding
8. Minority contracting
9. Nursing home oversight
10. HSAC symposia follow up
11. Community health/mental health
12. Transportation for low income residents
13. Understanding of services to Latinos
14. Are we missing invisible migrant population/identity for outreach efforts?
15. Track what we are doing
16. Others as they may come up
Additional items County staff brainstormed for possible inclusion on October 17 2003:
1, Benefits for domestic partners
2. Housing Wage
3. Lack of indoor plumbing
4. Family friendly practices/policies