Orange County NC Website
152 <br />Item 15: The Commissioners should take the oath as members of the <br />Board of Equalization and Review and fix a time for. sessions of the Board. <br />All members of the Board proceeded to sign the oath which is to be <br />notarized. <br />"I, Commissioner , do solemnly swear (or affirm) that <br />t will support and maintain the Constitution and laws of the <br />United States, and the Constitution and laws of North Carolina <br />not inconsistent therewith, and that I will faithfully discharge <br />the duties of my office as a member of the Board of Equalization <br />and Review of Orange County, North Carolina, and that 2 will not <br />allow my actions as a member of the Board of Equalization and <br />Review to be influenced by personal or political friendships or <br />obligations, so help me God." __. <br />The Board agreed to schedule April 2l, 1977, and April 26, 1977 as <br />meetings of the Board of Equalization and Review. The Board of Equali- <br />zation and Review will adjourn on May 30, 1977. <br />Chairman Whitted noticed that A. T. Davison had jointed the meeting, <br />therefore, Mr. Davison was asked if he would agree to serve as a member <br />of the Board of Adjustment for Orange County. Mr. Davison did so agree. <br />Upon motion of Commissioner Gustaveson, seconded by Commissioner <br />Pinney, it was moved and adapted that A. T. Davison be named to the <br />Orange County Board of Adjustment to replace Hilliard Caldwell. <br />Chairman Whitted referred to Item 4: Residents of Rangewood area <br />are interested in receiving fire protection from the Town of Carrbora. <br />The County Attorney will review various procedures to make this possible. <br />The Chairman recognized Chief Robert 5wiger of the South Orange Fire <br />District and Nathaniel Davis of the Rangewood area. <br />Jeff Gledhill, County Attorney informed the Board that there were <br />three options available for fire protection of the Rangewood area. <br />People in the area can petition for the creation of a fire district <br />which requires 15 percent of the resident freeholder in the area to re- <br />quest the County Commissioners to call for an election. At that time, <br />residents in the area vote and if a majority want the tax levy, this is <br />all this is required. The Board of Trustee would be appointed for the <br />fire district ar else, the County Commissioners could act as the Board <br />for the district. That Hoard has the power to contract with an already <br />existing fire district ar could start their own fire department. <br />Another option would be an application for inclusion in an already <br />existing fire district by the people in the area. This would require a <br />majority of signatures of owners. It would not be necessary to have a <br />continuous area under this option and no election would be necessary. <br />The Board would contract for fire protection from an already existing <br />agency. <br />The third option is the creation of a service district. No applica- <br />tion is needed, however, a public hearing would be called to define a <br />demonstrable need for creating the service district for fire protection. <br />The Service district must be a creation of a unitaof government before <br />the people would be able to contract with another fire protection <br />agency for fire protection. <br />Chief Swiger stated that the boundaries set out are 4 miles from the <br />South Orange Fire Department, except for the Hwy. 54 area.• The boundary <br />only goes 2.4 miles because landowners in that area did not want fire <br />protection. He stated that there was a need to expand to take in Rangewood. <br />Commissioner Willhoit stated that he favored the service district option, <br />and that he felt it was negligent to allow residential 'development without <br />fire protection. He suggested that a 4 mile radius be mapped, then call <br />for a public hearing and find out who is interested in fire protection, <br />and then include these people in the boundaries. He added that you would <br />draw the boundaries after signatures are obtained. <br />Commissioner Gustaveson stated that he felt the most logical option is <br />to enlarge South Orange and then set the boundaries, not necessarily con- <br />tinuous, but to include Rangewood and not touch farmland. <br />