Orange County NC Website
9 <br /> Bryant Colson, Chair of the HRC, said that it was charged in 2004 by the Board of <br /> County Commissioners to develop a social justice goal. He said that this goal and the <br /> implementation plan is a huge step in making Orange County a positive and progressive <br /> community and makes Orange County only the 2nd county in the country to take this goal <br /> forward. The other county is King County in Washington State. He hopes that the County <br /> Commissioners take into consideration all of the work that the HRC has put into this goal to <br /> keep Orange County a progressive county. <br /> Tara Fikes said that the second thing the HRC worked on is to create a methodology to <br /> measure success of this goal. The other component of the plan is the annual review of the <br /> Social Justice Goal Recommendations (page 6). The HRC should review these goals each <br /> year. This is a work in progress. <br /> Frank Clifton said that the real issue for him is that the County take an official position <br /> and recognize that these are important goals for County government. <br /> Commissioner Gordon said that she received the Board of Health letter and she does <br /> not understand the work in progress tool as it relates to this letter. <br /> Commissioner Nelson said that he sat in many of these meetings, and he understands <br /> Commissioner Gordon's concerns, but the County Commissioners need to go ahead and <br /> adopt this goal and then address concerns as they arise because questions are part of the <br /> implementation of this goal. <br /> Commissioner Yuhasz said that the goals expressed on page six are ones that the <br /> County Commissioners would all agree on, but the concern of the Board of Health (BOH) is <br /> that the recommendations if adopted would require the Health Department and other <br /> departments to do more investigations and recordkeeping without the resources to do this. He <br /> would have a problem adopting the recommended actions as policies of the County and it <br /> imposing on County departments additional requirements without resources. <br /> Commissioner Pelissier said that the County Commissioners should adopt the five <br /> goals on page six and then taking recommended actions as just recommendations. She thinks <br /> that these goals should be incorporated into the County Commissioners' general goals. <br /> Frank Clifton said that most of these are already established within the County as part <br /> of best practices and the Board's general goals. <br /> A motion was made by Commissioner Jacobs, seconded by Commissioner Nelson to <br /> adopt the goals and accept the recommendations by asking the HRC to work with the County <br /> departments in adapting this to the County's policies and resources, and to report back to the <br /> County Commissioners on an annual basis on the progress. <br /> Commissioner Jacobs said that he would like to task the County Manager to ask a <br /> responsible member of County government to keep a list of all of the annual reports the Board <br /> has asked to receive. <br /> Commissioner Yuhasz said that he would like to know the fiscal ramifications of <br /> implementing this process. <br /> VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br /> Chair Foushee said that there have been some rumblings that Orange County has <br /> closed its door on the Human Relations Office and she hopes that with the passing of this <br /> item, that it will assure everyone that this is not true. <br /> Bryant Colson thanked the Board of County Commissioners and the Manager for <br /> adopting this goal. He said that the HRC understands that there will be costs and personnel <br />