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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLRC Exec Comm Meeting Minutes_1.12.2026 ORANGE COUNTY ,' LOCAL R E E NTRY },*COUNCIL RC Orange County Local Reentry Council (LRC) Executive Committee Meeting Minutes January 12, 2026 Danielle Carman, Director of the Orange County Criminal Justice Resource Department (CJRD) and member of the Orange County LRC Executive Committee, convened the initial organizational meeting of the Executive Committee at 3:30 pm at the Bonnie B. Davis Environment&Agricultural Center in Hillsborough. Executive Committee Members in Attendance: • Danielle DeCaprio, Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness Homeless Program Manager • Kathleen Ferguson, Hillsborough Board of Commissioners • Paula Harrington, Oxford House, Inc. Special Projects Coordinator • Toni Lewis, Department of Adult Correction (DAC) Chief Probation Parole Officer • Candace Rashada, Durham Tech Human Resources Development Director • Julia Sendor, Justice United Lead Organizer • Joseph Whatley, Caramore Employment Specialist Executive Committee Members Unable to Attend: • Amanda Cobb, Orange Correctional Center Warden • Crystell Ferguson, Inter-Faith Council (IFC) Community Service Navigation Manager • Celisa Lehew, Chapel Hill Chief of Police Others Present: • Tiffany Bullard, LRC Case Manager • Shalishah Foster, DAC Community Development Specialist Welcome and Introductions Everyone present introduced themselves. Executive Committee Roles and Responsibilities Foster said DAC has been working to be more strategic about who is included at the table and what the expectations are, with the goal of being more effective at reducing barriers to reentry. She explained the structure of reentry councils, both at the state and local levels, and noted that CJRD is the Intermediary Agency in Orange County that handles the administration of the DAC grant. She said DAC has issued state-level guidelines, but the department understands that some local nuances are needed to match local needs and culture. Foster reviewed some administrative matters, including the roles of the Executive Committee's elected officers, and noted that a Chair, Vice-Chair, and Secretary are required roles, but a Treasurer is optional. Ferguson asked about access to LRC financial reporting and Foster said members would have access to such reporting but not to staff salary information. Carman said the LRC staff would work with the Executive Committee to determine the type of financial reporting that would be most helpful. She noted that the DAC grant funding does not fully cover the two LRC staff salaries and benefits, so operating expenses and client needs are funded through a small county appropriation and a supplemental American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)grant from DAC for client transportation. Carman added that, moving forward, the Committee may be able to help identify additional funding streams. Foster agreed and said Local community members are in the best position to know about potential sources of supplemental local funding. Foster said the Executive Committee will have a role in voting on various LRC policies, such as time limits on expenditures for housing and other client needs. She added that members can send designees if they are unable to attend a meeting, but those designees will not be able to vote. She said the bylaws are subject to the Executive Committee's approval, but they are fluid and can be changed at anytime. Foster said the elected Chair will preside over meetings. Meetings should be held monthly in the initial organizational phase but can then move to every other month. Meetings can be virtual, but DAC asks that at least one meeting each year be in person. Foster and Carman explained that the full LRC is a loose group of people and organizations committed to reentry in Orange County, and the Executive Committee is the governing body. There should also be an Advisory Group of local community leaders who bring information to and receive information from the Executive Committee. Foster added that members of the Advisory Group might also come to meetings and give presentations. Review and Approval of Proposed LRC Mission and Bylaws Carman reviewed the proposed draft bylaws with the Committee members. The draft bylaws included provisions governing the full LRC's mission, membership, and meetings; the Executive Committee's membership, roles and responsibilities, terms of service, elected officers, and meetings; the Advisory Group roles and responsibilities; the required Subcommittees; general provisions on quorums and voting; and confidentiality and conflict policies. Committee members suggested a number of revisions to the proposed bylaws as drafted. Carman said she would incorporate the Committee's suggested changes in track edits and resend the document to the members for additional review and comments. Officer Nominations Nominations for officer positions, including Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, Basic Needs Subcommittee Chair, and Housing Subcommittee Chair, will be received from the floor at the second organizational meeting, to be scheduled for February, and by email after that meeting. Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 5:00 pm.