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,~ <br />a. Provisional Status Employees <br />The Board considered adoption of an amendment to the Orange County Personnel <br />Ordinance Article I, Section 4.0 to include a definition for "Provisional Status" Employees and <br />to confer the status of "provisional" employee on those employees who qualify according to the <br />definition. <br />Policy and Compliance Officer Annette Moore said that on August 19th the Governor <br />signed into law an amendment to the State Personnel Act, which requires that local <br />government employees covered by the act be employed for 24 consecutive months before <br />gaining career State employee status and gain a property interest in their position. Orange <br />County has employees covered by this act, and for this amendment, it means that if the <br />employees do not complete the probationary period on or before August 18, 2007, they must <br />be employed for 24 consecutive months from the date of their employment before they can <br />apply a property interest in their position. In County employment, this probationary period is <br />sometimes tied to benefits such as funeral leave, maternity leave, military leave, tuition refund <br />and educational leave, the ability to donate or request shared leave, and access to the <br />grievance and appeal process. This amendment will not give these employees a permanent <br />status, but it will give them access to these benefits that have been taken away. <br />In answer to questions from Chair Carey and Commissioner Gordon about the <br />differences in the original and the amended abstracts, Annette Moore said that there were only <br />minor wording changes. <br />Commissioner Gordon asked that the next time there are changes to an abstract that <br />they be highlighted. <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Nelson, seconded by Commissioner Foushee to <br />adopt the amendments to Article I, of the Orange County Personnel Ordinance to add sections <br />2.6 and 4.33, renumber sections 4.33-4.39, and confer the status of Provisional Status <br />employee on all employees who qualify under these sections. <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br />7. Reports <br />a. Potential Artificial Soccer SurFace Report <br />The Board received a report to determine if there is continued interest in this project <br />and to provide direction to staff. <br />Lori Taft said that last year there was a series of meetings with the soccer community <br />members with the Board of County Commissioners, and one suggestion from this was adding <br />artificial turf to playing surfaces to increase usage and playing time on some soccer fields. <br />She said that she was asked by the Manager to look into this idea for the Smith Middle School <br />fields. Carrboro, CHCCS, and Orange County entered into an MOA for usage and upkeep of <br />these fields and a couple of years ago, there was an agreement concerning the lighting for the <br />fields. This has helped the soccer community but not the condition of the fields. These fields <br />are the only two full-sized fields in southern Orange County, and adults are able to play on <br />these fields. She said that she has looked into this issue of artificial surfaces. There was an <br />information sheet attached to the abstract, along with a site plan for the facility. The cost for <br />putting turf on two fields is $ 1, 624, 400, and the cost for one field is $ $856,000. She said <br />that she could only go so far without any funding mechanism in place because of design work <br />that would be required. She said that the drainage and grading is half of the budget. She said <br />that members of the soccer community have participated in this process and some have <br />offered to contribute financially. She said that the school district has tentatively agreed to <br />relinquish control of field 3-a to Carrboro after school hours, which has not been done before. <br />