Orange County NC Website
93 <br />MINUTES <br />ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />FEBRUARY 16, 1977 <br />The Orange County Board of Commissioners reconvened on February 16, <br />1977, from adjourned session of February 15, 1977, at 9:30 p.m., at the <br />Old Town Hall in Chapel Hill, N. C. <br />Present were Chairman Richard Whitted, Commissioners Norman Walker, <br />Jan Pinney, Norman Gustaveson, and Donald Willhoit. <br />Others present were S. M. Gatos, County Manager, Neal Evans, Finance <br />Officer, and Agatha Johnson, Clerk. <br />The Chairman stated that the purpose of this meeting is in order to <br />continue from February '15th, the discussion of the District Health Board <br />and to take action as to whether Orange County should remain in the <br />District Health arrangement or withdraw from the District Health arrange- <br />ment. <br />The Chairman stated that this is an issue which Orange County has <br />net taken lightly. Members of the Board have discussed the District <br />arrangement over the years, and more recently in the last sixty days. <br />He stated that on February 20, 1977, the Orange County Board of Commis- <br />sioners presented the District Health Board and the Chairmen of the Boards <br />from the member counties, a letter stating Orange County's concerns and <br />proposed solutions. He spoke of the meeting of February 2nd, February 10th <br />and this meeting tonight, where the concerns of the Health Department have <br />been discussed. After these meetins, the Ghairman stated that the most <br />encouraging item of interest from the Health Board seemed to be that of <br />board training. He added that the need existed for an innovated and <br />energetic Board, one that would look at the communities and the delivery <br />of health care and attempt to arrive at appropriate solutions to health <br />problems. Mr. Whitted stated that two items of concerns with Orange <br />County was thenumber of representatives from each County to the Health <br />Board, and the vast difference between iahat the District Health Board <br />recommends. <br />Commissioner Willhoit stated that after discussion of Problem B, <br />The District is suffering from the lack of administrative leadership, <br />he felt very strongly that the Search Committee should be searching for <br />a top administrator and not someone who must work has way up. He added <br />that the District Health Board should hire a Health Director, who knows <br />what he is being hired for. <br />Commissioner Walker stated that he felt the District Health Board <br />had agreed to solve most of the problems cited by Orange County, except <br />for Problem A and B. He added that Orange County would have more to lose <br />by withdrawing from the District than to gain by withdrawing. <br />Commissioner Pinney remarked that he had one major problem, and that <br />was the hiring of the administrator, and who would be in charge of <br />responsibilities within the Health Department. He did not feel hiring <br />someone to work this way up was the proper action to take. <br />Commissioner Walker stated that he disagreed with Commissioner <br />Pinney's comments. He added that he felt the District Health Board had <br />compromised. <br />Chairman Whitted stated that a Health Administrator V must have <br />_ certain qualifications and an Administrator II must have certain qualifi- <br />cations. You can not hire an Administrator V and let him have an.Admini- <br />strator II responsibilities. <br />Commissioner Walker stated again that he disagreed. <br />Commissioner Gustaveson stated that during the last months Qrange <br />County has spelled out their concerns and the key concern was the level <br />- of health services being provided to citizens of Orange County. He <br />added that by law, the District Health Board must be an active policy <br />making Board and one that is sentitive to the needs of the citizens within <br />the Counties. This Board is not aware of the concerns in Orange County <br />nor are they concerned with where health care is going. Mr. Gustaveson <br />stated that he had hoped there could be a way to work out an arrangement <br />