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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 09-16-2025-Business Meeting 1 APPROVED 10/21/25 MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BUSINESS MEETING September 16, 2025 7:00 p.m. The Orange County Board of Commissioners met for a Business Meeting on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. at the Southern Human Services Center in Chapel Hill, NC. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Jamezetta Bedford, Vice-Chair Jean Hamilton and Commissioners Marilyn Carter, Amy Fowler, Sally Greene, Earl McKee, and Phyllis Portie- Ascott COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: None. COUNTY ATTORNEYS PRESENT. John Roberts COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager Travis Myren, Deputy County Manager Caitlin Fenhagen, and Clerk to the Board Laura Jensen. (All other staff members will be identified appropriately below) Chair Bedford called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. All commissioners were present. 1. Additions or Changes to the Agenda Vice-Chair Hamilton made a motion to defer item 7-a to another meeting as an information item. Chair Bedford seconded the motion. VOTE: UNANIMOUS Chair Bedford read the public charge. She gave instructions for making public comments. 2. Public Comments (Limited to One Hour) a. Matters not on the Printed Agenda Laura Streitfeld spoke on county communications. She suggested including more information in the county newsletter on county meetings. She asked that residents receive better map information when considering issues that affect the community. She asked that the county convene strategic communications workgroup and invite stakeholders to attend. She asked for the strategic communications plan to be updated She said asked for the county to consider adding a way for people to make public comments by email or to participate virtually. She asked that the county streamline web menus and include links in meeting agendas to make it easier to find information. She asked that the county locate resources, plans, and documents on the county website rather that consultant sites, particularly the land use plan. b. Matters on the Printed Agenda (These matters will be considered when the Board addresses that item on the agenda below.) 3. Announcements, Petitions and Comments by Board Members Commissioner McKee thanked everyone in attendance. He said he participated in an open house at the Mason's Lodge in Hillsborough. He said it was the 200th anniversary of their building in Hillsborough. He said also attended the 264' anniversary of Little River Presbyterian Church in Caldwell. He said he spoke at a birthday celebration at the Passmore Center, and one of the residents, Cora Coleman, turned 100. He noted the many events she has witnessed in her 2 life. He said regardless of the outcome of the meeting, he will continue to push for broadband internet in every part of the county. He said he intended to run for re-election in 2026. Commissioner Greene thanked everyone in attendance. She said she attended the reenactment of the 3rd Provincial Congress of North Carolina in Hillsborough, where they talked about democracy and standing up for freedom. Commissioner Carter thanked everyone in attendance. She said the federal government declared a major disaster for Orange County from Tropical Storm Chantal, which means that the county and municipalities are now eligible to participate in FEMA public assistance requests. She said that includes grants for debris removal, emergency protective measures, and restoration and mitigation of facilities. She said there are lots of needs in the state, but she expressed appreciation for the elected officials who made it happen. She said she attended a reappraisal class at the School of Government in the previous week. She said she attended the Partnership to End Homelessness town hall where there was a lot of engagement on how to address the unhoused members of the community. Chair Bedford had no comments. Vice-Chair Hamilton thanked everyone in attendance and for all the comments sent in by email. She said they welcome input from the community and that they always must work on ways to communicate better. She said the Lumos situation is frustrating, and that the county depends on funds from the state and federal government to do big infrastructure projects, as well as public- private partnerships. She says they can see the limits of those arrangements. She said broadband is a vital service and they wish they could have direct public funding for providing that service. She petitioned to reconvene or reinstate the broadband task force to figure out how they can serve the whole county. She said she attended the employee appreciation event and thanked county employees for all the work they do. Commissioner Portie-Ascott thanked everyone in attendance and for the comments sent in by email. She said she attended the Partnership to End Homelessness and the town hall, where over 120 people were in attendance. She said they heard from non-profit providers, leaders from the partnership, and a HUD technical assistance representative. She said that one person suggested using empty buildings and then unhoused people could use that address to get a job. She said another person suggested creating a safe encampment area. She said listening closely to those who are unhoused and connecting them to housing with dignity is our goal. She said attended the final session of the 5t" cohort of the Hunt State Policy Institute. She said their last session focused on higher education and workforce development. She said she met a UNC student, Zachary Tucker, who is serving as an intern with the Hunt Institute and his energy and curiosity helped her understand why their work matters. She said she attended employee luncheon at Blackwood Farm and enjoyed meeting with employees. Commissioner Fowler thanked everyone in attendance. She said that she attended the Triangle West CAMPO rail subcommittee where they received a report on a rail study. She said the goal is to develop a strategic approach to the incremental expansion of intercity passenger rail within the greater metropolitan RTP area. She said this new approach seeks funding from the federal railroad administration as opposed to the previous method of commuter rail development funding through the FTA. She said the study created a matrix of possible small projects between Mebane and Clayton, including stops in Hillsborough, Durham, RTP, and Raleigh. She said she attended the employee luncheon and expressed her appreciation to employees. She said she was heartened to see the turnout for the Homelessness in Orange County update. She said she attended the behavioral health subcommittee and received a presentation from Dr. Luke Smith of El Futuro on the status of mental health needs and resources in Orange County, particularly for the Latino population. She said the subcommittee will attend the Last Fridays event in Hillsborough on September 26t", highlighting September as suicide awareness month and providing information and resources such as 988 for individuals experiencing mental health crises. She said she supports extending broadband to all areas of Orange County. She expressed thanks 3 for the FEMA declaration. She said she looks forward to joining the tax revaluation work group to improve equity in valuations. Commissioner McKee said he and Commissioner Greene endorsed Vice-Chair Hamilton's petition to reinstate the broadband task force. 4. Proclamations/ Resolutions/ Special Presentations a. Recognition of the Heroic Actions of A.L. Stanback Middle School Staff Durinq a Cardiac Arrest Response The Board recognized the heroic actions of staff at A.L. Stanback Middle School during a cardiac arrest response. BACKGROUND: The following information is shared after the Emergency Services Department obtained permission via a fully executed Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) release signed by the patient's guardian. On June 5, 2025, 14-year-old David Gonzalez Rubio, an A.L. Stanback Middle School student, was playing in the school gymnasium and suddenly collapsed. A teacher saw David on the floor of the gymnasium, quickly recognized David was not responding, and called for help. In under one minute, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was administered. The school nurse, school resource officer, the assistant principal and several other individuals rushed to the David's aid.An Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) was quickly accessed and applied, and the coordinated team was able to administer the defibrillation. David began to show signs of life after the school nurse began compressions post defibrillation. Fire and emergency medical services personnel arrived only four minutes after the 911 call was received, and David had already regained full neurologic function. This amazing response demonstrates how a young life was saved because all the links in the chain of survival were present. The preparedness and actions of A.L. Stanback staff deserve the highest recognition and praise. These individuals' actions saved the life of this young student. Orange County is fortunate to have a school nurse in all schools and AEDs in schools and many public buildings. School nurses play a vital role in supporting student safety and health in Orange County. These nurses provide staff training in emergency response, CPR, First Aid, and AED use. In addition, the nurses develop health plans and emergency action plans, share this critical information, and educate and train staff on both known and potential health conditions affecting students. The quick actions of early hands on the chest (CPR) and the administration of the AED were instrumental in restoring a heartbeat and saving David's life. County staff are able to report that David has made a full recovery and has endured important surgeries to prolong and improve his life. The actions of the school staff have provided his family with the most precious gift. The actions of these school first responders have helped Orange County achieve one of the highest resuscitation rates in the State of North Carolina, as well as among the highest in the "RAndomized Cluster Evaluation of Cardiac ARrest Systems (RACE CARS) National Institutes of Health (NIH) Trial" intervention group. The chance of survival drops up to 10% for every one minute after the heart stops and CPR is not provided. The quick actions of the school staff provided David the best possible chance. 4 Kim Woodward, EMS Division Chief, introduced the item and the student, David Gonzalez Rubio. Joseph Grober, EMS Medical Director said quick bystander CPR and early defibrillation are the greatest determinants for neurologically intact survival from cardiac arrest. He said for every minute of delay, the likelihood of survival declines by more than 10 percent. He said he was honored to recognize David Gonzalez Rubio and those who responded to the emergency. Kim Woodward said interpreter Jose Hidalgo was translating during the meeting, and that he is also part of the support staff at AL Stanback Middle School providing care to the family. Sylvia Compton, lead nurse for Orange County Schools, thanked everyone who helped save David Gonzalez Rubio's life. She thanked the commissioners for their support of school nurses. She introduced the staff and school resource officers of AL Stanback who were part of the response, as well as the emergency responders. Through the interpreter, the father of David Gonzalez Rubio thanked everyone who helped his son. David Gonzalez Rubio also said thank you. Kim Woodward said that David Gonzalez Rubio will also be recognized at the annual Cardiac Arrest Survivors event. All the first responders and AL Stanback staff took a picture with David Gonzalez Rubio and the commissioners. b. "The Nature of Orange" 2025 Photography Contest The Board recognized the winners and thanked all participants along with the judges of "The Nature of Orange" 2025 Photography Contest. BACKGROUND: The Orange County Commission for the Environment and Orange County Parks and Recreation Council annually co-sponsor"The Nature of Orange" Photography Contest, with this year's submittals recently completed in May 2025. This year, the theme was My Place in Nature. This theme represents an individual's sense of belonging in Orange County's natural settings. The goal of the contest was to inspire exploration, celebration and appreciation of Orange County's diverse landscapes and outdoor experiences. Photographers help document the beauty and diversity of the natural resources, and people connecting to their environment. A panel of judges selected first, second and third place winners from the Youth and Adult divisions. In addition, judges identified one (1) Honorable Mention award per age category. Winners received a congratulatory certificate and a small monetary prize. Winning photos will be displayed throughout the County. In addition, winning photographs are shared on the Orange County DEAPR Facebook Page. Abby Mattingly, Administrative Support I with DEAPR, introduced the item and made the following presentation: 5 Slide#1 ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA Nature of Orange Photo Contest 2025 Slide #2 The goal is to inspire exploration, celebration and appreciation of Orange County's diverse landscapes and outdoor experiences.We want to 1 document the beauty of our wildlife, waterways, natural resources, and people connecting with the environment. 2025 Theme "My Place in Nature" Score Criteria • Relevancy • Composition/Arrangement • Focus/Sharpness • Lighting and Creativity °$=r ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROL.INA 6 Slide #3 Adult 1st Place Fog on the Farm Kim Steffan Rogers Farm "My Place in Nature"isn't complete without a nod to Orange County's farming traditions.This was a foggy scene at a nearby farm, early one morning. ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROL€PIA Slide #4 Adult 2nd Place Riding among giants Tyrell Heaton Carolina North Forest Such an amazing network on trails within the city of Chapel Hill. Carolina North boasts a series of ! k single-track options and a wider gravel trail. ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA Slide #5 Adult 3rd Place My best flower I.K f Weihua Guan 9$ s+ Chapel Hill Bible Church -F- A house finch landed on a • + blooming branch on a spring sunny morning. It touched a r- few flowers until it picked up its favorite one and put it into its mouth. I immediately took ,i this shot to memorize this amazing moment. 1 ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA Slide #6 Adult Honorable Mention Everyday Radiance 1��{ Ashley Staples Neighborhood in Chapel Hill I watched as this engraved biadetooth snail climbed up onto this American Caesar's Amanita on the side of the .r road in my neighborhood. : All of the curves and lines were appealing to me. �1 ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA 8 Slide#7 Youth 1st Place N Happy in Moss i Zoe Staples • Teer Rd Chapel Hill _ We found the frog in the door of our van and it was happy to hop down as soon as the door opened. We watched it hop around a lot!It stopped to rest at this mossy tree and that is where I made myself small so it wouldn't be scared of me, and I took a picture. It was happy on the moss. ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA Slide #8 Youth 2nd Place Snaily the Snail Calvin Johnson Estes Hills Snaily is the best snail in the world. I hoped he would stay in my garden but he left.I think he really loves carrots. !.� ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA 9 Slide #9 Youth 3rd Place Freshly Picked Finn Tyrrell Brumley North Nature Preserve I have seen a lot of cedar waxwings over the past month; �. however, I hadn't gotten lucky yet with where they were and never got any close sightings. That made this encounter very special, and on top of that the berry snacks made it even better.This _ year's migration has been amazing for photography of f many, many species. ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA Slide #10 Youth Honorable Mention Drip Drip Drop Little April Showers Mabel Vandemark Household yard I found this flower in the middle of • t about one thousand golden rod ` plants, so it stood out to me. I + thought it would make a good picture. It was after a rainstorm we had and so the water droplets were cool to zoom in on. ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA 10 Slide #11 Thank You Judges Barry Buehler Barry is an 83-year-old retired physicist.In 2015,my wife and I moved from Connecticut to Hillsborough NC.My only serious hobby was playing duplicate bridge;however,I had always been interested in photography.Shortly after settling in North Carolina,I joined the Chapel Hill Camera Club and purchased my first"real"camera.1 enjoy photographing a wide range of subjects, especially architecture,people,and nature.Currently,I use a Canon EOS R5 as well as the camera on my Google Pixel phone. Margo Taussig Pinkerton Margo Taussig Pinkerton of Barefoot Contessa Photo Adventures spent decades traveling the world for Fortune 500 clients.Her images have appeared in numerous magazines,calendars and coffee-table books and are in collections worldwide,including Yale's Beinecke Archives.Margo loves mentoring others and seeks passion and simplicity In her photographs. Jennifer Scheib Jennifer Scheib is a candid event photographer with over 20 - years of experience documenting the energy,connection,and y authenticity at the heart of community life-Specializing in work with community events and non-profits,Jen's photography focuses on unscripted moments that tell a r _ _ deeper story and encourage community members to get involved-Originally from Pittsburgh.PA and now based in p w1 North Carolina,Jen brings a documentary-style approach ORA VGE COUNT I�/ 1 rooted in curiosity,joy,and a strong sense of place- NORTH CAROLINA Commissioner Carter asked why there were more entries this year. Abby Mattingly said she did not have that information, but she plans to add a question to the application in future years asking how an applicant heard about the contest. She said she had publicized the event more on social media, reached out to new partners, and printed more flyers to distribute around the county. The winners in attendance took a photo with the commissioners. 5. Public Hearings a. Public Hearing on 2024-25 Consolidated Annual Performance Report (CAPER) for the HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) Program The Board held a public hearing on the draft Consolidated Annual Performance Report (CAPER) for the HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) Program. BACKGROUND: Each year, Orange County reports on activities undertaken with funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development through the HOME Program. This annual report, called the Consolidated Annual Performance Report (CAPER), documents the progress towards implementing the priorities and activities identified in the Annual Action Plan. During the 2024 CAPER period (July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025), the County had available approximately $442,802.32 in HOME funds plus $96,636.28 matching funds (contributed by the Towns of Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Hillsborough, as well as the County) totaling $539,438.60 for eligible housing activities.The County spent$169,165.99 of these available funds on the provision of tenant-based rental assistance. Orange County must hold a public hearing to obtain residents' comments and feedback on the Consolidated Annual Performance Report (CAPER). Members of the public may also submit comments during the public comment period (September 5 — September 24, 2025) to Aaron Cohen, Community Development Manager, by email (acohen _orangecountync.gov), by mail (PO Box 8181, Hillsborough, NC 27278) or by telephone (919-886-3574). 11 Blake Rosser, Housing Director, introduced the item and made the following presentation: Slide #1 n ORANGE COUNTY HOUSING DEPARTMENT Public Hearing- 2024 CAPER for HOME Program September 16, 2025 Slide #2 2024 Consolidated Performancepo Public Hearing nORANGECOUNTY HOUSING DEPARTMENT 12 Slide#3 Orange County HOME Consortium received almost $492,000 from July 2024 —June 2025 PY - Entitlement Grant $367,014.00 • • - $28,306.00 $96,636.28 Total Funds Available $491,956.28 In ORANGE COUNTY © HOUSING DEPARTMENT Slide #4 HOME Consortium awarded funds for two non-Administrative projects in FY24-25 Project Title/Description Construction $222,120 $0.00 • $136,499 $67,524.22 Rental Assistance Administration $36,701.40 6,752.42 • $395,320.40 $74,276.64 nORANGE COUNTY 0 HOUSING DEPARTMENT 13 Slide#5 HOME spent almost $547,000 in FY24-25, compared to $137,000 in previous year Rental Construction & $102,024.82 $94,939.60 Homebuyer Assistance $0 $0 $50,000.00 $88,250.00 Rental Construction i $0 $0 ® $101,788.00 $25,447.00 Tenant-Based Rental Assistance Total Funds $321,337.04 $225,517.66 Expended n ORANGE COUNTY © HOUSING DEPARTMENT A motion was made by Vice-Chair Hamilton, seconded by Commissioner McKee, to open the public hearing. VOTE: UNANIMOUS PUBLIC COMMENTS: There were no comments. A motion was made by Commissioner McKee, seconded by Vice-Chair Hamilton, to close the public hearing. VOTE: UNANIMOUS 6. Regular Agenda a. Amendment to the Network Development Agreement for Broadband Deployment with Lumos to Extend the Project Deadlines and Revise Passings The Board approved an amendment to the 2022 Lumos contract that would adjust both the scope and timeline of the existing broadband expansion agreement. The total number of broadband passings will be reduced from 6,370 to 5,852. In alignment with this change, the completion deadline for all revised passings will be extended to July 1, 2026. The disbursement schedule will also be updated to reflect the new project scope. The amount Lumos would be paid in total is $5.2 million over three installments: $2.6 million at the first milestone of 199 homes, $1.3 million at the second milestone of 111 homes, and $1.3 million at the third milestone of 355 homes, for a total of 665 homes. These milestones will result in a total of 5,852 locations passed — approximately 92% of the 6,370 locations in the original contract. Under the revised disbursement schedule, the first payment is disproportionately larger to account for 2,187 homes that Lumos has completed since passing the initial 3,000 homes. The amendment also revises the payment terms to 15 days instead of 30 days after work is completed. The disbursement schedule is subject to change. 14 BACKGROUND: In June 2022, the Board of Commissioners finalized an agreement with North State Communications Advanced Services, LLC (formerly known as Lumos Fiber and now doing business as T-Fiber) to deploy a fiber optic broadband network to 6,370 unserved locations in Orange County. Unserved locations are defined by State law as locations that do not have access to internet service that provides speeds of 25 megabits per second (Mbps)download and 3 Mbps upload. The statutory authority under which the County is authorized to make grants for broadband deployment only allows those grant funds to be used to serve unserved locations. The County funded this public-private partnership with a $10 million grant using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)funds. Payments of the grant funds to Lumos are based on performance. Lumos was paid a $1 million start up payment following approval of the contract. The first benchmark of passing 3,000 homes was also achieved which triggered the second benchmark payment of $3 million. A total of $4 million has been paid to Lumos to date. A passing is defined as "a location, such as a home or business, that is near enough to a fiber-optic network to be connected without major construction, typically because the network already runs along the street or right-of-way and is technically ready to be connected for service upon customer request".The original deadline to serve these homes was December 31, 2024. During spring 2024, Lumos began experiencing delays due to construction and budget issues, and much of the construction activity on the project slowed considerably. Those issues were resolved, and construction resumed in earnest in late summer 2024. However, those delays did have an impact on the overall project schedule and the project is over budget.As a result, Lumos has proposed to revise the number of passings to 5,852, completing 92% of the passings in the original contract. The County has also explored alternative strategies to advance project completion should Lumos not continue, including the potential issuance of an RFP to address the remaining passings. The County has complied with the first ARPA deadline by committing ARPA funding through the contract with Lumos by December 31, 2024. Once obligated, the funds can only be used for the purpose specified in the obligation. The final deadline to spend the ARPA funding is December 31, 2026, so this contract amendment does not jeopardize the availability of ARPA funding. To date, Lumos has installed 739 route miles of fiber in Orange County. This network is available to 14,981 total homes including 5,187 previously unserved and underserved homes included in the 2022 agreement. The original Lumos project did not reach all the unserved and underserved homes in the County. These areas have been referred to as doughnut holes where approximately 600 unserved and underserved homes are located. The County has consulted with the North Carolina Division of Broadband and Digital Equity, and the most likely funding solution to serve those homes will be through the Broadband Equity and Deployment (BEAD) and Stop Gap Funding Programs which has the goal of reaching 100% of unserved and underserved homes. The County will also pursue Stop Gap funding to address the gap between the original Lumos contract passing count of 6,370 and the revised passing count of 5,852. The funding process for the BEAD and Stop Gap programs is expected to begin in Fall 2025. County staff will provide updates as more details become available. The agreements and this proposed amendment are between Orange County and North State Communications Advanced Services, LLC, which remains the same legal entity named in the original contracts.Although the company operates under the `Lumos' brand and has been publicly reported as acquired by T-Mobile, the contractual obligations, stipulations, and enforcement provisions remain fully applicable and binding on the same legal entity. 15 John Roberts reviewed some of the legal questions that had been raised by the public. He said the North Carolina legislature prevents all local governments from directly contracting for lines to go in the ground, from building lines for internet infrastructure itself, and limits all local governments to only issuing grants for incentivizing a known service provider to install lines. He said the contract with Lumos is an incentive grant agreement. He said if Lumos was able to pass 6,000+ homes, they would receive $10 million. He said Lumos says they cannot complete the project. He said the remedy for that is for Lumos to not get the remainder of the money under the current contract. He said that is why the Board is considering an amendment. He said if this was a service contract where the county had contracted directly with someone to install the lines, then they could go to court to give the county specific performance. He said specific performance is a judicial order favoring an aggrieved party that directs the party in breach of a contract to do what they were supposed to do. He said that the Lumos contract is not that type of contract. He said it is an incentive grant agreement, and the remedy for not passing all the homes is that they don't get the remaining $6 million. Robert Reynolds, Chief Information Officer, made the following presentation: Slide #1 Lumos Broadband Project Update ORANGE NORTH 16 Slide #2 Project Overview ► �' • County funded public-private partnership with a$10 million �. American Rescue Plan Act(ARPA)grant began in April2022 d Original project goal was to connect 6,370 � i unserved/underserved addresses in the County �• a1 • Lumos paid$1 million upon contract approval • First milestone of passing 3,000 homes achieved and Lumos paid$3 million as per contract • Final milestone payment in the original contract of$6 million was contingent on Lumos passing all6,370 homes • 5,187 locations have been completed to date - Slide #3 Project Progress .*I_ {, W - - :?YCF:I4•AU r Lumos has installed 739 The Lumos network is availableto To date,5,187 unserved and 4q route miles of fiber in Orange 14,981 total homes in Orange underserved locations have County County access to broadband as pad of the Lumos-Orange County contract Lumos advises they are unable to complete all6,370 homes in the contract • County examined options to complete the project and safeguard ARPA funds • An amendment to the contract is proposed to achieve 92%project completion apxc. Robert Reynolds said that Lumos asked for more funding to complete the project. Commissioner McKee asked how much the request was for. Robert Reynolds said $14 million. Commissioner McKee asked for the reason to drop to 92% project completion. 17 Robert Reynolds said there was not a specific reason, but that they said they had identified homes that they would be able to do. Commissioner McKee said that sounded like the easiest, most accessible possible route for Lumos to get the project partially completed. Slide #4 Proposed Amendment to the 2022 Lumos Contract • Lumos would be paid a total of$5.2 million over three installments • $2.6 million at the first milestone of 199 locations completed • $1.3 million at the second milestone of 111 locations completed AREA 2' • $1.3 million at the third milestone of 355 locations completed A total of 665 locations completed The proposed amendment to the 2022 Lumos contract will: Reduce total broadband passings in the original contractfrom 6,370 to 6,852 • Extend completion deadline to July 1,2026 • Revise the disbursement schedule • Revise the payment terms from 30 days to 15 days once work is completed • Remove 600 addresses from the County contract Robert Reynolds said the initial payment is disproportionately larger to account for the 2,187 homes that Lumos has completed since passing the initial 3,000 homes in their first milestone. Commissioner Fowler asked why the payments for areas 2 and 3 are the same when the number of homes in each area is different. Robert Reynolds said that he thought those homes were what was available in the polygons. Commissioner Fowler said if the areas were equally difficult, she would understand the difference. She said if it's not, she would think the payments should be proportional to the number of homes passed. She asked if it was possible to amend the terms to make proportional payments for areas 2 and 3. Andrew Stevenson, representing Lumos, said the three areas have more density and more unserved homes than other areas. He said the payment schedule is to account for the work and capital expenditures that have occurred passing the first 3,000 homes. Commissioner Fowler said she understood the first payment amount. She asked if it was equally difficult to do areas 2 and 3 and that's why the county would pay an equal amount. She said it seems like it should be more reflective of how many homes get served. Andrew Stevenson said that in each polygon, there are additional unserved homes besides those that are in the contract. He said that in each polygon there will be an equivalent number of total homes. He said there approximately an equivalent amount of work in each polygon. Commissioner Fowler asked if a border line would not need to be laid in area 3 because it looks larger than area 2. 18 Andrew Stevenson said that even though it is geographically larger, there's typically an equivalent number of homes in each polygon. Commissioner Fowler asked if there are people within the polygons who might not be underserved. Andrew Stevenson said Lumos's definition of those who are unserved is anyone that doesn't have fiber. He said the state considers anyone with cable internet as served. Commissioner McKee asked when work stopped on the project. Andrew Stevenson said roughly the end of June or July. Commissioner McKee asked how many polygons would have been served had work not stopped. Andrew Stevenson it's hard to say, but maybe a couple. Commissioner McKee said that would be two polygons. He said that essentially Lumos is asking for almost full payment for half of the remaining homes. He said it's not right, because people have no recourse. He said the other options are pie-in-the-sky. Robert Reynolds said that the total number of passings will be reduced from 6,370 to 5,852 and the completion of the contract will be extended to July 1, 2026. He said the reimbursement schedule will be amended and the payment terms will be 15 days instead of 30. Commissioner McKee asked for an explanation of BEAD funding. Chair Bedford asked if he could wait for that answer so the presentation could be completed. Robert Reynolds said the county is working with the state for stop gap funding for the remaining homes due to the amendment. Slide #5 Orange County FTTP Project Schedule(5852 HHs) X -22 —24 M." fan-25 dun 2 MaE-2G Dim'Ipr NerveM Pmjrtt Planniry ninE sne senery Fngrnxir4 sntanlRrtFra Dnxtor lP Desgi EglRniG Fnpneeni DrmprosP F..nn.v+vlw ,.Rs� D Rtp osn ow iera.w pmtrraipn Fveperanm oPOMm� orlP F pwrp inpRMlbn Frpraml[ Damp.Dsp Pipe.TermvllnMkd SVPR Cpmtrvaipn Dim"ipr OSp _merealPawer C<Irusl'nn Fignxiq Dutttpiv Fpuip Tumup fnpnen"4 [n®nning DSp uahn la�rn lit �1 .ing <M1lst mesl :"8^es*mH �sls;Iwo lwmol f"V-4 marYn uin<als; mn) FnD^Pering «6NPa.ael lainsa 16b5 Plp.nes� i"®^se"T Projected Commissioner McKee asked if the true deadline is December 31, 2026. John Roberts said that is the deadline for all funds to be expended, and for any other addresses to be added beyond the amended number of locations. Chair Bedford said a previous amendment was never signed. 19 Commissioner Fowler reviewed the terms of the contract and asked what "a commitment to pass any additional location" meant. Travis Myren said if an underserved home is identified while passing the remaining 665, it automatically is added. Commissioner Fowler said that was mentioned in all three areas with a date of no later than July 1, 2026. Commissioner Carter asked if the definition of unserved and underserved was the Lumos definition. Travis Myren said it was the state and federal definition. Vice-Chair Hamilton asked how it is determined when work is completed. Travis Myren said they would verify through the project management team. Vice-Chair Hamilton asked if there is visual inspection. Travis Myren said the contract allows for visual inspection. Commissioner Fowler asked about the cost for connection, which she said was initially set at $50 a month, but now it appears to be higher. Robert Reynolds said there were changes at the bandwidth offering levels. Andrew Stevenson said there was a stipulation in the contract that price increases be no more than 10% each year. He said that comparing prices gets complicated when people come in at introductory or promotional offers for 12 months. He said a low-cost offering is still available if requested. Commissioner Fowler asked if Lumos is laying line in Alamance County and if that was funded through ARPA. Andrew Stevenson said they received a NC Great grant, which was funded by ARPA, and it was recently completed. He said that there is work going on that is privately funded. Commissioner McKee asked if Lumos was laying line in Durham County, and if they had the same situation in Durham as they are having in Orange County. Andrew Stevenson said they were laying line in Durham County. He said they were having some of the same issues, but not at the same extent. Commissioner McKee asked if Lumos was asking Durham the same request they were making of Orange. Andrew Stevenson said no. He said they received an ARPA grant through the NC Broadband office, and they also have privately funded projects. Chair Bedford asked Robert Reynolds if he had spoken with IT folks in Durham. Robert Reynolds said yes and that they never entered into a contract with Lumos. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Tony Blake said he opposed changing the Lumos contract. He said that Lumos says he does not have broadband, but he has broadband provided by Spectrum. He said he supported his neighbors who were being left behind by the proposal. He said they are not doughnut holes, but taxpaying residents. He said that after acquisition by T-Mobile, Lumos continued to fulfill other contracts and expand their network elsewhere. He said T-Mobile has plenty of assets and they would not lose money on this contract, it would just take them longer to recoup their investment. Orange County is a tier 3 county and has little hope of receiving BEAD funding. He said BEAD and stop gap funding are both funded by ARPA. He said both require matching funds and asked where those would come from. Jack Vest said he has struggled with slow internet at his home and that AT&T will not make improvements or repairs to his current lines. He said that he lives among lots of trees and would not want to cut them down in order to get satellite internet. He said cell phone signals are also unreliable. He said for 3 years he received regular updates on the broadband project, until T- Mobile bought Lumos. He expressed concern about the cost per connection the county will pay under the revised contract. 20 Laura Evans said she represented her neighbors in Marion's Ford Road, Foxwood Farm Road, and Brights Way. She urged the commissioners to keep the 600 addresses in the Lumos contract and extend service to them. She described the location of the neighborhood, and asked what other providers would step in to save Brights Way. She said due to poor cell phone reception they cannot use their phones to provide internet. She said the existing service from AT&T's megabyte DSL plan does not support essential activities like video appointments, online schoolwork, downloading work files, and video calls with family and friends. She said the county has not applied for BEAD funding, and why should Brights Way be optimistic that the county will get those funds. She asked for the county to honor their commitment and keep the 600 homes on the list. Dan Eddleman said DSL has worked for some in southwestern Orange County, but has failed for others due to getting water in the lines, which AT&T has refused to fix. He said the area of Morrow Mill and White Cross has poor radio system signals, which affects the VIPER service, fire, and EMS. He said that if he has an emergency, he may not be able to call for help. He said Area 3 in the proposed amendment, that is the worst area due to the terrain and the failed DSL service. He said that Area 3 is the last to be talked about for fixing, and he is concerned that the work will not be done. Joy Mercer said she was disappointed that the county was proposing eliminating her home from the contract with Lumos. She said that none of the remaining $6 million should be paid to Lumos unless they complete the contract of 6,370 homes. She said that Lumos chose to provide service to dense, already served areas, rather than unserved areas. She said T-Mobile is worth $267 billion, and she doesn't understand their rationale for getting out of the contract. She said that as a beneficiary of the contract, they may have standing to sue. She said she has spoken to many county representatives and was promised that she would get service. She said the amendment is inadequate and has no targets for completion. She said fiber should be placed in any conduit that has already been installed. She wants Lumos to abandon the conduits that they have already laid, so she and her neighbor can negotiate with another provider to use the conduit that is already on her property. Paul Mercer said that he has experience in telecommunications. He said the most difficult part is the deployment of the conduit that holds the fiber and junction boxes where interconnections are made. He said he did not understand why they would allow the contract to not finish the job in neighborhoods where the bulk of the work is done. He said to do so is poor contract management. He said he did not see a way of monitoring the contractor other than the number of homes passed. He said the county needs a more robust method of demanding performance from contractors going forward. Susan Walser brought a handout of FCC maps showing broadband availability. She noted that there are areas on the maps that show broadband availability, but those addresses do not have them, they only have conduits. She said Lumos laid fiber on her road which already has AT&T fiber and high-speed Spectrum service. She said they did not need the service, while a neighborhood two roads down is underserved. She said that when T-Mobile took over Lumos, she must pay$80 a month, while others have a $50 a month rate. She said the customer service with T-Mobile is poor. Robin Mulkey asked the Board where they stand and asked them to support residents in Orange County. She said that the project problems are not the county's problem. She said it is poor planning on their part. She said if there is a contract that isn't enforced, why do they bother having a contract. She asked the Board to show they support rural residents and vote against the proposed amendment. Patrick Mulkey said in Bingham Township they always get the unwanted county projects, like landfills or airports or OWASA. He said now that the county has a chance to step up, they forget about the rural people. He said with their current service, if it rains, there's no service. He 21 said they are in a wide, open area with farmland with few trees. He asked the Board when they would step up for rural Orange County. Chuck Mosher said he represented the Hartwood community. He said they have AT&T DSL and pay $80 a month for 6 megabits. He said the 600 households that would be excluded are the most remote and spread out. He said if you look at the map, the sort of the before and after map, it's huge swaths of land. He said 92% of the county will not be served. Blair Pollock recounted trouble shooting internet issues with T-Mobile and how difficult it was. Laura Streitfeld asked the commissioners not to approve the amendment. She said there are people who are not aware that they will not be served with this amendment. She said that lack of reliability costs county residents. She said that 25% of residents primarily work from home and they need reliable and affordable internet. Eda Cornish said she cannot get Spectrum internet like some of her neighbors have. She said they have aged in place and need reliable internet to receive services. She said they pay significant taxes and that they are not getting the same services that their neighbors are. She said T-Mobile can afford to complete the contract. She said they've waited for many years and asked the commissioners to make sure it happens. Edward Mann asked the Board to consider that the broadband landscape has changed in the last few years. He said the list of unserved addresses that Lumos will still connect to are not really unserved. He asked the Board to focus on the unserved areas. He asked the Board to remember that the funds are an incentive to do more. Ken Bradley said his home was previously served by Bell South, but AT&T will not provide them service now. He said they cannot get AT&T to give them a landline, they aren't served by cable, and the two satellite services they've tried have been erratic. He said this sounds like a project management failure and that the new owners have decided to turn on the project. He asked the Board to hold a potential provider's feet to the fire. Tom Barbon said he used to receive internet from Meb-Tel,which was acquired by Century Link, and later by Bright Speed. He said they do not receive reliable service and it is not sufficient for work or school. He asked who proposed the amendment. He said it is confusing that the contract appears to be unenforceable. Ron Royster said he first received internet from Meb-Tel, then Century Link, and now Bright Speed. He said they lost internet for 5 weeks in July from Bright Speed. He asked the Board to take care of the residents of Orange County. Suzanne Kirby said she is an oncologist at Duke. She said that as a physician she must be able to put it in orders for chemotherapy in the middle of the night, and it can only be done through her laptop. She said she's had to drive to a coffee shop to put in orders for patients. Bonnie Hauser said after receiving Lumos service, her experience with internet has greatly improved. She said after T-Mobile acquired Lumos the service relationship and cost structure changed. She asked the Board to make sure that residents get internet and to include representatives from unserved communities on a revived broadband task force. Jim Ross said he had conduit put in a year and a half ago, but it still does not have fiber. He asked how many people have conduit, but don't have fiber. He asked the Board to prioritize final buildouts of fiber where conduits are already laid. Commissioner Carter asked why some homes would have conduits laid, but fiber is not being run through the conduits. Andrew Stevenson said that he believes the contractor got ahead and laid the conduit first before the cabinet and the brains of the network were in place Commissioner Carter asked what is prohibitive about the final steps for those homes. 22 Andrew Stevenson said after speaking with the county, the question was,what can Lumos doe for the remaining $6 million, and those three areas was where they thought they could get the most bang for their buck. Commissioner McKee asked how many homes have conduit and no fiber. He asked why there has been no work in months. Andrew Stevenson said 1,200-1,300 homes have been connected in 2025. Commissioner McKee asked why homes with conduits have not been connected with fiber. Andrew Stevenson said that it is a result of their strategy to "follow the light." Commissioner McKee said he believes that there has been a ploy to stop work to force an amendment. Andrew Stevenson said it boils down to an $18-20 million overage on the project. Commissioner Fowler asked what the likelihood is of completion of the contract without the amendment. Andrew Stevenson said he believes this is the best offer by the company. Commissioner Fowler said that is the big concern. She said they are trying to figure out the best way to get them to complete as many as can be done. She said they cannot apply for other grants for these homes if they are still included in the grant contract. She said that they proposed paying 92% if they complete 92% of the project. She said she does worry that Lumos may not complete all three areas. She said they want to get as many done as they can. She said doesn't have a way to value each area. She said she is willing to say yes as structured, because they are trying to get as many people connected as possible. She said they also wanted to make it clear who is not included so they can pursue other methods of providing service. Commissioner Portie-Ascott expressed sympathy for those experiencing lack of reliable internet. She asked if there is a way to verify who is unserved on the proposed amendment. Travis Myren said they could cross check the list of addresses compared to FCC maps. Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked how long that would take. Chair Bedford said it has been done before. Commissioner Portie-Ascott said once they looked at that list and determined that some of the addresses are not unserved. then those folks could more forward with other options. Chair Bedford said it is an ongoing process and will be adjusted until they end up with 600+list of eligible properties. Commissioner Portie-Ascott said it seemed the list doesn't reflect the need. Chair Bedford said they could email and then the County Manager and Chief Information Officer to match it up with Lumos's records. Commissioner Greene said they need to clarify who is included on the list. She questioned if the list is accurate and if not, is it a significant enough an issue that they want to get right before they negotiate. Travis Myren said it likely wouldn't be a significant change, and they would be talking about eliminating an entire polygon, which would be 665 addresses. Chair Bedford said that makes sense. Commissioner Carter expressed sympathy with residents. She appreciates Vice-Chair Hamilton's suggestion to reinstate the broadband task force. She noted that 5,187 homes have been passed, and that addressed part of the rural areas of the county that did not have access. She said she feels a responsibility to support work to enable every single possible pass. She said the county has a limited ability to control how a business operates. She said that they are making business decisions, and the Board is making the best decision to try and serve the community. She said she was inclined to support the amendment. Commissioner Greene said she co-chaired the previous broadband task force with Commissioner McKee. She said she is disappointed with where they are with the project. She appreciated Commissioner Fowler's comments and the feeling that their hands are tied. She said 23 broadband is not a regulated utility, and it is a shame. She said that this amendment is as far as they can get with Lumos. She said that she supported reconvening the broadband task force and pursuing any and all future options for service. She said that the County Attorney described what they can and cannot contract to do. She said she had heard from many people on how difficult internet access is, and this is a problem they want to solve. Vice-Chair Hamilton said the comment that they are between a rock and a hard place reverberates in her mind. She said part of the reason they are in this position is because internet is not treated like a regulated utility. She said they have limited funds as a county to meet the needs of residents. She said that she feels this is the best they can do at this time, although she is not in favor of the installment plan. She would like to see Lumos receive 92% of the funds when they complete all 665 homes. Chair Bedford said she was in favor of the amendment. She said that if they don't spend the funds, they go back to the federal government. She said that the proposal they negotiated is for flexibility on the payment schedule, and it was not supported by the whole Board. She said she supports moving forward with the proposal and not wait any longer. She said that the county applies for many grants, but they are considered a wealthy county. She said they will continue to work on it. She said they cannot put funds for broadband into the CIP, because it is illegal. She said that is a General Assembly issue. She said she wanted to get 665 houses served and get to work. Commissioner McKee said they are dealing with a multibillion-dollar company. He said their gross income was $81 billion. He said whatever they are losing is pocket change. He said whatever they are losing is due to their lack of due diligence. He said the company was being a bully because they decided to stop working when their margin didn't hit what they wanted. He said if they had, they would have had over 600 of those homes done. He said it is an insult to the county, and particularly because they are affecting people's lives. He described the ways lack of internet affects families. He showed three lists of addresses that would be served, those that are eligible for stop-gap funding, and those that are eligible for BEAD funding. He said that BEAD funding is unlikely due to the county's status as Tier 3. He said that the ARPA funds belonged to the taxpayers. He offered a different proposal, "Plan B", holding Lumos accountable and force them to resume work the following week and complete the project by December 31, 2026. He said if Lumos did not, they would move on without them. He said they could then allocate $10 million of capital funding to serve the remaining 1,183 homes. He said they could use that as an incentive payment. He said if T-Mobile wants to put fiber in the conduits, he has no issue, but he wants T-Mobile to be in or out. He also proposed offering an additional $3 million to T-Mobile to finish the project by December 31, 2026, as a "Plan C." He said they made a promise to people. He said this is an equity issue. He said that regardless of the outcome, he will continue to push this issue. Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked for clarification of Commissioner McKee's proposed plan C. Commissioner McKee said they would receive a total of$9 million when all the homes on the list were hooked up. Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked for clarification of Commissioner McKee's proposed plan B. Commissioner McKee said Lumos would go back to work on Monday morning, and if not, the county would inform them they were out of a job. He said the county would look for another provider. Commissioner Fowler said doing another RFP would put them farther behind. She said she would prefer to get as much as they can from this contract and then move forward. Commissioner McKee said he would have to have assurances that they would complete the project by 2026. 24 Chair Bedford said she planned to make a motion to approve the amendment as written, and to reinstitute the broadband task force. Commissioner McKee said he did not trust them. He said would vote against the amendment. He said he wanted to make sure 600 homes are not left behind with no recourse. He said there are other people in the doughnut holes who are also not served. Chair Bedford said she was not willing to give up $6 million in federal funds. Commissioner Greene said she received information earlier in the day that there are some providers who tentatively have BEAD funding for Orange County, which included Bright Speed, Spectrum,AT&T, Starlink, and Amazon. She said it hasn't been approved. Commissioner McKee said that was not the information he had heard earlier. He asked Robert Reynolds for confirmation on this and for stop-gap funding. Robert Reynolds said they don't have a firm commitment for stop-gap, but that the state office believes Orange County would receive $4 million. Commissioner McKee asked how many providers bid on stop-gap. He said Lumos is not bidding. Robert Reynolds said that was correct. He said for BEAD, there are potential awards, but they have not been evaluated by NTIA. He said it takes 90 days for those lists to be validated. Commissioner McKee said two days ago, he thought only Bright Speed and Spectrum had bid on BEAD Robert Reynolds said that was the information that he had at the time. Andrew Stevenson said the stop-gap program had not officially launched yet, so no provider has bid for the funding. He said Orange County was not eligible for the programs that support NC Great and NC CAB programs, but those rules do not apply to BEAD. He said Orange County would be eligible for that$4 million. He said although Lumos did not participate in BEAD, the stop-gap funding would be an opportunity to get service to those 579 homes. Chair Bedford made a motion to approve the amendment to the Network Development Agreement for Broadband Deployment with Lumos and give the Manager the authority to sign the amendment and any other related documents and to reinstate the broadband task force. Commissioner Carter seconded the motion. Vice-Chair Hamilton asked to separate the motions. Chair Bedford made a motion to the amendment to the Network Development Agreement for Broadband Deployment with Lumos and give the Manager the authority to sign the amendment and any other related documents. Commissioner Carter seconded the motion. VOTE: Ayes, 5 (Commissioner Greene, Commissioner Carter, Chair Bedford, Commissioner Portie-Ascott, Commissioner Fowler); Nays, 2 (Commissioner McKee,Vice- Chair Hamilton) MOTION PASSES Vice-Chair Hamilton made a motion to reconvene the broadband task force. Commissioner McKee seconded the motion. VOTE: UNANIMOUS 25 A motion was made by Chair Bedford to remove the closed session from the agenda. Commissioner McKee seconded the motion. VOTE: UNANIMOUS b. Discussion of a Ground Lease with UNC for 2700 Homestead Road for the Cold Weather Cots Program and Integrated Day Center The Board: 1) received and discussed information regarding a facility located at 2700 Homestead Road in Chapel Hill as a potential location for the Cold Weather Cots Program and an Integrated Day Center; 2) authorized staff to enter into negotiation with UNC for a ground lease of up to ten (10) years for the 2700 Homestead Road property; and 3) directed staff to develop a budget amendment to fund the compliance and design study. BACKGROUND: In April 2025, County Manager Travis Myren and Interim Chapel Hill Town Manager Mary Jane Nirdlinger sent a letter to Gordon Merklein, UNC Associate Vice Chancellor for Real Estate and Campus Enterprises, regarding a UNC facility at 2700 Homestead Road in Chapel Hill. The building, formerly a Duke Energy property, appeared to be under-utilized by UNC and in a location that would be well-situated for the County's cold weather cots operation and a potential integrated day center. The cold weather cots operation was held at University Baptist Church in Chapel Hill last winter, but this location is not available to the County for the upcoming winter of 2025-2026. Instead, the Orange County Housing Department is executing memoranda of understanding (MOU's) with 1) the Town of Chapel Hill to utilize the former Chapel Hill Police Department Building on Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard; and 2) St. Matthew's Church in Hillsborough — both to serve as the cold weather cot locations for the upcoming winter. An integrated day center, which is one of the gaps identified in the Partnership to End Homelessness Systems Gaps Analysis, has been a high priority gap for the County to fill. The letter sent by the County and Town Managers inquired as to whether UNC would be willing to consider allowing the County to utilize the Homestead Road building for these two identified needs. The letter followed numerous conversations between UNC stakeholders and Town and County staff regarding the issue of unsheltered individuals in the downtown Chapel Hill area. UNC, through its Director of Local Relations, Ivy Taylor, expressed an interest in learning more about local efforts to support the unhoused population and to address behavioral health concerns. In addition to discussions about longer-term efforts such as the Crisis Diversion Facility, the issue of a new location for the cold weather cots program and opening an integrated day center came up. There was significant interest by UNC and the Town of Chapel Hill in supporting both of these priorities. An integrated day center is a central place where people in housing crisis can access many different needed services. More than just a drop-in center offering basic necessities, this model integrates medical, behavioral and housing-focused services to help individuals move to stable housing and self-sufficiency. It offers a coordinated and comprehensive, trauma-informed approach that moves away from a siloed system that requires individuals to travel to different locations and appointments to get the services they need. It also offers a building with heating and cooling, bathrooms and other resources that provide a reprieve from the outdoors. 26 This summer, the County and Town were notified that the UNC Office of Real Estate and Campus Enterprises was willing to offer Orange County a 10-year ground lease on the facility at 2700 Homestead Road starting in the late spring of 2026. While the offer to lease the property does not involve any rent, the County would be required to fund any necessary improvements and renovations and maintain the building and its upkeep for the period of the lease. The facility is currently being used by UNC for significant file storage needs and for offices and property storage for UNC Campus Police. UNC will require several months to relocate what is currently located at the property and is hoping for a decision by the County as soon as possible so that it can start the moving process. Phase I Costs: Due to the complexities of renovating a UNC-owned property where the State Office of Construction would have jurisdiction, staff recommends employing a design firm for $16,521 to ensure compliance with State Office of Construction's standards and to provide cost estimates for the proposed Phase 11 renovations. This would be the sole FY 2025-26 funding need. AMS has conducted a review of the facility's core building systems — Heating/Ventilation/Air Conditioning (HVAC), fire alarm, and the roof— to assess the feasibility for its use for the Cold Weather Cots program. To occupy the facility to any level, the 24-year-old fire alarm system would need to be replaced for$33,967. Additionally, small renovations would be needed to allow the space to work for the cold-weather cots at an estimated cost of$30,000. As the move-in date would be early in July 2026, these costs would be included in the Manager's recommended budget for FY 2026- 27. Phase 11 Costs: The costs to renovate the space for use as a day center with additional County offices would include the replacement of the roof within five (5) years ($500,000 - $1,000,000), and the replacement of a significant portion of the HVAC system (--$250,000). These expenses and additional design and renovation costs would need to be developed and submitted in the FY 2026 - 36 Capital Investment Plan.As the County does not own the facility, it cannot finance any capital improvements to the property. The County would need to identify pay-go funding or unassigned fund balance to fund any of these investments. Caitlin Fenhagen, Deputy County Manager, made the following presentation: Slide #1 ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA Discussion of Ground Lease with UNC for 2700 Homestead Road for Cold Weather Cots and Integrated Day Center Programming September 16, 2025 BOCC Business Meeting 27 Slide #2 Aerial Map of 2700 Homestead Rd Orange County 1 I F � PMI2O ,11° ....... u.�m..m.�...�a�...p OK'NEq I-nIOR-ry1 CwROLINw SYwTE p� �SIZE:6 �Bu1LOING COUNT 1 OWNER 3 5e1 WpgE55] T31 NwIL se MICE CENYEq R TECOOE: 22Yy _ a00 gPELNI[L a neaae era.... G TY RwLEION SLOG 90TT ZTH50 giwT{.zla. NG 2iE99]]Zl YE4R BUILT. M°0 TOTwL fiOLD g�20°! ORANGEI�'�fNA7 LEG0.L�ESG. 2GH OPERATgN CENTER P]pE1931.190.0 Rwv NC B&11.32 TOTAL TPJ(9TAMP9 NURS']I . ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA Slide #3 2700 Homestead Road f ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA Slide28 2700 Homestead Road Slide#5 ORANGE COUNTY 29 Slide#6 2700 Homestead Floor Plan .. 1P � E&S ;lY. � •H+ 11fi 5nx asl Bbg./8>9 n VJtir ORANGE COUNTY NORTH C,AROLINA Slide #7 BACKGROUND • UNC, Town of Chapel Hill, County began conversations regarding downtown unsheltered population needs in 2024 • Cold Weather Cots Needed a New Location • Integrated Day Center is a Priority Gap on the PEH Gaps Analysis and requires significant space • Support from Chapel Hill and UNC for Cold Weather Cots and an Integrated Day Center • 2700 Homestead (formerly the Duke Power building) was identified by the County and Town as a well-situated location for these two priorities • Letter from Managers sent to Gordon Merklein, UNC Associate Vice Chancellor for Real Estate and Campus Enterprises ORANGE COUNTY 6 NORTH CAROLINA 30 Slide#8 CWC's and Integrated Day Center • For winter 25-26, Cold Weather Cots program will be held at former Chapel Hill Police Department on MILK Jr Blvd and at St. Matthew's Church in Hillsborough • CHPD location is only available for this winter • Integrated Day Center is a best practice for coordination of services and needs for individuals experiencing homelessness: provides indoor space, resources, one-stop access to providers for critical services �1 ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA Slide #9 Offer from UNC • UNC is offering Orange County a 10-year ground lease of 2700 Homestead Rd Facility (23,851 sq ft) • Starting late Spring 2026 • No rent required, but County will be responsible for all expenses for improvements, maintenance and operations NORI I I CARI)I.I.N% Caitlin Fenhagen said the ground lease is the easiest way to make the conveyance without having to go through a lot of bureaucracy at UNC. Chair Bedford asked if UNC could agree to a lease of up to 10 years. Caitlin Fenhagen said yes. 31 Slide #10 Phase 1 Costs for CWC Operation • FY 25-26: $16,521 for Design Firm to ensure compliance with State Office of Construction and for cost estimates for Phase 2 Needs • FY 26-27 Budget: $33,967 for new fire alarm $30,000 for minor renovations for CWC program operation ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA Caitlin Fenhagen said there will be an area for women and children and a separate area for men. Slide #11 Phase 2 Costs for Integrated Day Center These expenses would be included in the FY 2026 — 2036 Capital Investment Plan: • Approx. $250,000 for New HVAC units • Between $500,000 — $1 ,000,000 to replace the roof in 5 years • Design and office renovation costs to be determined by the design proposal • Opening date target of July 1 , 2027 ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA Commissioner McKee asked if the county already provides these services, and if there would be duplication of services. Caitlin Fenhagen said that several services would likely move to the new site. Commissioner McKee said that would move services farther south from Hillsborough. Caitlin Fenhagen said DSS and Housing are in Hillsborough, but that they aren't seeing a need for daily services in Hillsborough. 32 Commissioner McKee said he had concerns about the renovation costs as well as the long-term costs of running a day center, including needing more staff. He said not limiting it to Orange County residents might attract others from outside of the county. He wanted more information how staffing will work. Slide #12 Facility Space Use Opportunities • Integrated Day Center— Formal proposal for FY 27-28 Budget; modest anticipated staffing beyond Housing Dept (potential offset by reduction); other county department staff and community providers contributing services; bathroom, laundry and lockers access • Housing Department office space needs • Additional County office space in Southern OC • Emergency weather shelter year round • Location for Pop-Up Street Medicine clinics and other events to serve those in housing crisis ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA Caitlin Fenhagen said that during the day, the libraries and the Seymour Center are seeing a lot of unhoused people. She said this would be a place where people could go for services and connect with providers. Slide #13 Manager Recommendations • Receive the information and discuss this property as a site for the Cold Weather Cots program, and a future Integrated Day Center and to serve other County needs • Authorize staff to enter negotiations with UNC for a ground lease for up to 10 years • Direct staff to bring a budget amendment to fund the compliance and design study for Phase 1 and Phase 2 improvements ORANGE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA 33 Slide #14 Questions? ORANGECOUNTY 1u11II1" 1- Vice-Chair Hamilton said she is in support of Phase I for the project, but wanted more information for Phase II, and would want to know what services or projects the county would not do because of the costs for the facility. Vice-Chair Hamilton made a motion to authorize staff to enter into negotiation with UNC for a ground lease of up to ten years for the 2700 Homestead Road property and direct staff to develop a budget amendment to fund the compliance and design study. Commissioner Fowler seconded the motion. Commissioner Greene said she was happy to see the proposal and that this has been an unaddressed need for 20 years. She thanked Ivy Taylor, Director of Local Relations, for her work and interest in developing this proposal. She said this would be a year-round Project Homeless Connect, which was a way to emulate a day center one day out of the year. She said other local governments around the country operate day centers, and they combine resources to efficiently serve those who badly need assistance. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Ivy Taylor highlighted the university's dedication to being good neighbors and engaging in collaborative partnerships to address multifaceted challenges within the community. She said that the university's mission includes charting a bold course for leading change to improve society and to help solve the world's greatest problems, beginning in their own backyard. She expressed gratitude for the opportunity to collaborate with the county, town, nonprofit sector, and faith communities in addressing these issues and asked for favorable consideration on the agreement to move forward. Alyssa Hinton said she leads the Activate program at IFC. She said their mission is to elevate voices of those most impacted by systemic inequities, especially our unhoused neighbors and to build grassroots power for transformative change. She said policies and laws that threaten to reinstate vagrancy laws punish poverty rather than solve it. She said these approaches deepen trauma, increase displacement, and perpetuate cycles of incarceration. She said that at IFC they have a vision of care, not control. She said they support a humane, community driven response to homelessness. She said there is a need for climate-resilient stations for heating and cooling, creating sanctioned safe sleeping zones designated for car or tent sleeping, and establishing a community resource center offering showers, laundry, storage, and safe gathering spaces. She requested expansion of the CARE team. She said IFC has over 340 signatures from residents affirming the need for intervention. She said in Orange County, 21% of households earn less than 34 $35,000 a year, and 5.9% earn less than $10,000. She said we have the resources; we need the will. She said that they want to work with county agencies, non-profits, and civic leaders to ensure every resident can live with dignity. Darren Campbell said he has been unhoused and he has experienced sleeping in the cold. He said the care center would provide a place for people to get warm, take a shower, do laundry, and get prepared for job interviews so they can feel like a human again. He said he understands concerns about costs, and that he would gladly give his dollars to ensure that others have the dignity to see themselves as human beings and not as a second-class leftover. He encouraged the Board to move forward with the proposal. Commissioner Portie-Ascott said she was excited to see this proposal in their packet. She asked if there will be showers. Caitlin Fenhagen said they plan to have showers, whether it is inside or part of a mobile shower system. She apologized for the quick turnaround on the proposal. Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked that they consider expanding beyond cold-weather cots in the future. Commissioner Fowler supported adding showers to the center. Commissioner Carter said she is very supportive of the proposal and would like to hear more about partnering with the Town of Chapel Hill. Caitlin Fenhagen said that there have been some conversations with Chapel Hill staff, but there is a new town manager and there will need to be further conversations. Commissioner McKee said he would like to see indoor showers at the center. Alan Dorman,AMS Director, said it was a question of whether the county could afford it. Chair Bedford said there is a lot of opportunity. She said if staff is moved to the facility, she wanted to see if some other office-related CIP projects could be changed. She said did not understand the programming proposal and wanted more information. She wanted more specifics on staffing and where existing positions would be moved from. She said this should go to the behavioral health task force for input. She said she has hesitations over the cost when they won't own the facility. She said there is a question of who is paying for the costs of the facility, who will partner with the county, and how authority and decision making will be shared. Blake Rosser, Housing Director, said services in Hillsborough would not be affected. He said they would still have the street outreach team and the housing helpline would continue one day a week in Hillsborough. He said he did not anticipate an increase in staffing. He said staff based at Southern Human Services would be based at the center. He said they may require a position, but they may be able to use existing staff. Chair Bedford said they would also need to think about security. Caitlin Fenhagen said they have an opportunity with UNC to leverage partnerships. Blake Rosser said the model is to bring it partners who provide assistance with programs and staffing. He said that Oak City Cares in Wake County invited the Board to see their facility. VOTE: UNANIMOUS c. Review of Options for the Design of Crisis Diversion Facility This item was removed from the agenda and will be considered at a later date. 7. Reports a. Presentation of the Countywide Strategic Plan FY2024-25 Progress Report This item was removed from the agenda and will be presented later as an information item. 35 8. Consent Agenda • Removal of Any Items from Consent Agenda • Approval of Remaining Consent Agenda • Discussion and Approval of the Items Removed from the Consent Agenda A motion was made by Vice-Chair Hamilton, seconded by Commissioner McKee, to approve the consent agenda. VOTE: UNANIMOUS a. Minutes for the August 26, 2025 Business Meeting The Board approved the draft minutes for the August 26, 2025 Business Meeting. b. Request for Proposed Naming of Cedar Grove Athletic Field #1 as the "Coach Willie Lawrence Vanhook Athletic Field" The Board received a request from the Cedar Grove Recreation Association and stated the Board's intent to adopt a resolution for the naming of Cedar Grove Athletic Field #1 as the "Coach Willie Lawrence Vanhook Athletic Field." c. Cybersecurity Awareness Month Proclamation The Board approved a proclamation designating October 2025 as Cybersecurity Awareness Month in Orange County and encouraged all residents, businesses, and organizations to engage in activities that raise awareness about cybersecurity and take steps to protect themselves and their communities from cyber threats. d. Authorization for Use of Construction Manager at Risk Services for the Orange County Sheriff's Office Evidence Storage Facility and John M. Link, Jr. Government Services Center Renovations The Board authorized the use of the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) project delivery method for the Orange County Sheriff's Office Evidence Storage Facility and John M. Link, Jr. Government Services Center Renovation project. e. Fiscal Year 2025-26 Purchase of Seven (7) LIFEPAK® 15 Monitors/Defibrillators The Board approved and authorized the Manager to sign all documents necessary for the procurement of seven (7) LIFEPAK® 15 Monitors/Defibrillators. f. Purchase of Vehicles for the Emergency Services Department The Board approved and authorized Orange County Fleet Services to purchase two (2) Ford Super Duty F350 trucks to replace two (2) older vehicles in the Emergency Services Department. g. Amendments to the Emergency Management Ordinance — Second Consideration The Board approved on second consideration and approved a resolution adopting amendments to Chapter 14, Emergency Management Ordinance, of the Orange County Code of Ordinances. h. Amendments to the Noise Ordinance — Second Consideration The Board approved on second consideration and approved a resolution adopting amendments to Chapter 16, Article III, Noise Ordinance, of the Orange County Code of Ordinances. i. Approval of the Establishment, Composition, Role and Charge for the Tax Assessment Work Group and Approval of Commissioner Appointments to the Work Group The Board: 1) Approved the establishment, composition, role and charge for the Tax Assessment Work Group; and 2) Approved the appointment of three (3) members of the Board of Commissioners to serve on the Work Group. j. Boards and Commissions —Appointments 36 The Board approved the Boards and Commissions appointments as reviewed and discussed during the September 9, 2025 Work Session. 9. County Manager's Report Travis Myren reminded the Board of the joint meeting with the schools on September 25, 2025. Chair Bedford said that the proposed agenda for the meeting will highlight state budget issues, the bond and interlocal agreement, and demographics. Commissioner McKee asked if there is a discussion of performance. Chair Bedford said not at this time, but they have asked for a memo when the schools have reviewed the data. She said they would not be discussing pre-schools in depth. 10. County Attorney's Report John Roberts said the General Assembly will go back into session on Monday and it was anticipated that they will discuss the Medicaid shortfall. 11. *Appointments None. 12. Information Items • September 4, 2025 BOCC Meeting Follow-up Actions List 13. Closed Session The previously announced closed session discussion was removed from the agenda. Adjournment A motion was made by Commissioner Fowler, seconded by Commissioner Greene, to adjourn the meeting at 10:38 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