HomeMy WebLinkAboutPRO-2024-010-Proclamation Recognizing and Expressing Gratitude to Bonnie Hammersley ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING AND EXPRESSING GRATITUDE TO
BONNIE HAMMERSLEY ,
RETIRING ORANGE COUNTY MANAGER
WHEREAS , Bonnie Hammersley , after 10 years of dedicated service to the Orange
County community , is retiring July 173 2024 ; and
WHEREAS , prior to joining Orange County in 2014 , Ms . Hammersley served as County
Administrator for Muskegon County , Michigan for 5 years , and in several positions in
Dane County , Wisconsin for over 21 years ; and
WHEREAS , during Ms . Hammersley ' s tenure , the county opened the Rogers Road
Community Center ; the Orange County Northern Campus , home to the Bonnie B . Davis
Environment and Agricultural Center , a new parks operations base , and a new county
detention center ; the Eno Arts Mill ; and Blackwood Farm Park ; and
WHEREAS , Ms . Hammersley led the county through two revaluations , the development
of a long - range financial plan , the transition of mental health /SUD/ IDD services to
Alliance , an exemplary response to the COVID - 19 pandemic , and the administration of
American Rescue Plan Act funding ; and
WHEREAS , Ms . Hammersley has throughout her tenure thoughtfully executed the
county ' s funding responsibility to its two school districts with county per pupil funding
consistently in the top four in the state , funding a nurse in every school and a school
resource officer in every secondary school , overseeing a $ 120 million school bond passed
in 2016 , and adding over $ 72 million capital funding , leading to an independent study of
school facilities ; and
WHEREAS , Ms . Hammersley has taken leadership regarding the county ' s role in the
creation of affordable housing , from managing a $ 5 million housing bond passed in 2016
to allocating $ 15 million of capital funding to housing over 10 years , to giving personal
direction to the Housing department in a time of administrative transition ; and
WHEREAS , Ms . Hammersley has been a key part of the county ' s economic development
program , which generated over 1 , 700 new jobs and $ 545 million in investment from new
and expanding industries , and awarded over $ 3 million in grants to local farms and small
business operators , while also advocating for environmental conservation , farmland
preservation , and protection of headwaters ; and
WHEREAS , under Ms . Hammersley ' s guidance , the county developed the One Orange
Countywide Racial Equity Framework with the Towns of Carrboro , Chapel Hill , and
Hillsborough , which is designed to uncover and address implicit biases in our jurisdictions
to ensure that race is no longer a predictor of life outcomes in our community ; and
WHEREAS , Ms . Hammersley has been involved in many other notable county projects ,
such as the development of the local housing voucher program ; the formation of the
Criminal Justice Resource , Community Relations , and Transportation Services
departments ; the county-wide broadband installation project ; the establishment of
Durham Tech Promise Scholarships with Durham Technical Community College ; the
creation of the county ' s first Climate Action Plan ; and the planning and groundbreaking
for the Southern Branch Library ; and
WHEREAS , Ms . Hammersley elevated the organization by encouraging a positive
workplace culture and demonstrated a commitment to residents , staff, county partners ,
and the Board of County Commissioners ; and
WHEREAS , Ms . Hammersley ' s leadership on behalf of Orange County and the region
has been critical in extraordinary times ; and
WHEREAS , Ms . Hammersley ' s integrity , vision , knowledge , collaborative spirit , and
compassion will be sorely missed ;
NOW THEREFORE , we , the Orange County Board of Commissioners , do hereby
recognize and express deep appreciation and respect for the services rendered by
Bonnie Hammersley to the Orange County community , and wish her well in her
retirement .
This the 4t " day of June , 2024 .
f
J ezett Bedford , C it Sally Gr ne , ice - Chair
Amy F ler , Commissioner = a, Hamilton , Commissioner
co 60 ,,(
Earl McKee , Commissioner Phyllis Pcrtie-Ascott , Commissioner
Anna Richards , Commissioner