Minutes 02-15-2011 - Laserfiche WebLink

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� VOTE: UNANIMOUS Chair Pelissier said that she wanted to introduce the Manager of the Value-Added Processing Center and the new Interim Economic Development Coordinator after the public comments. The Board agreed. PUBLIC CHARGE The Chair dispensed with the reading of the public charge. 2. Public Comments a. Matters not on the Printed Aqenda Doris Friend, President of the Board of Directors of the Family Violence Prevention Center (FPVC) of Orange County, said that she used to be Director of Employment and Improvement at UNC Health Care. In November 2004, one of her staff was murdered by her husband in the parking lot of their office, and this brought the issue of domestic violence into her life. The victim was a mother and valued employee. She said that last year the FVPC served more than 800 clients and saved some lives. She said that the FVPC is the only agency in Orange County to provide services to victims of domestic violence and all of the services are free. The agency has been serving Orange County for more than ten years and administratively they are very stable. All of the members of the Board of Directors serve three- year terms and the majority is serving a second term. The staff is also well-trained, professional, and dedicated. She said that this is a daily struggle financially. She said that the vision is to have a location where all of the needs of the victims are met, violence is stopped, families are healed, and hope is realized. She hopes that the County Commissioners will join them to see howthey might make this happen. Fran Lynch is a Board member of the FVPC. She said that domestic violence is a serious public health and workplace issue that affects families of every social, economic, religious, and ethnic persuasion. She said that the CDC estimates that the annual cost of lost productivity due to interpersonal violence is 8 million paid work days lost every year, which is the equivalent of 32,000 full-time jobs. She gave more statistics about domestic violence. She said that a key component of a domestic violence program would be the education of all Orange County employers and County government personnel. This is one of the tasks that the FVPC has taken on to ensure that employers understand the issue. She asked the County Commissioners to lead by example and commit to establishing an Orange County non- violence and schedule for training to be conducted in all County departments. Firoza Mistry is a Board member and Treasurer of the FVPC. She is also an accounting manager for UNC Health Care. She said that she chose to invest time in the FVPC because she believes in its cause. She assured the County Commissioners that the FVPC is hyper-vigilant about the public funds invested in it. She asked the County Commissioners to join them in expanding to form a countywide collaboration. Bridget Cook is also a Board member with the FVPC. She also works as a branch manager for Harrington Bank. She joined the FVPC because it was not an obvious choice for a non-profit to volunteer for and she has learned that domestic violence does affect the community much more than she ever realized. She asked for the Board's help in forming a countywide alliance to educate the community with a focus on prevention.