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Chris Ho an said that he likes the word vision. He feels that If the County is going to preserve open <br />space, conservation easements, etc. they need to keep the farmers involved. A department, independent of citizen <br />involvement cannot be where the decisions are made that the farmers must abide by. He feels that It will be critical how <br />this goes out to the community and the community's perception. He feels the process must be open to the pubic and <br />that it will not work if there is no communication with the farmers. He talked about maintaining open space and how this <br />is expensive. He feels the County Commissioners need to pay attention to communications- <br />Doll- Hunter who served on the Agricultural Advisory Board for six years, told about that Board's activities <br />and how they had developed a purchase of development rights (PDR) program. The County Commissioners adopted it <br />and put $5 million on a bond issue which failed because the timeframe for the bond issue was too short. She feels that <br />the formation of this department is being rushed which will cause distrust by the farmers and farm community. The <br />Agricultural Advisory Board has been ready to start preserving land. Orange County does not need a new department <br />to do this. The Soil and Water District Board voted in favor of conservation easements. She said that they have asked <br />Geoffrey Gledhill for a report on the Soil and Water Conservation Department being allowed to hold land conservation <br />easements and have heard nothing. She noted that the Planning staff has been short staffed for quite some time. The <br />job description of the Planning Director includes preservation issues and when this position is filled, these environmental <br />conservation activities will be included. She reemphasized that the Planning Department has worked hard on <br />conservation issues and asked the County Commissioners to give the existing wheel a push. <br />George Chochley said that it seems to him that we are feeling the results of a few things that went on a few <br />years ago. He understood that southern Orange advertised that this area is the southern part of heaven and the best <br />place to live. Now, we have an influx of people. His problem is that there has been very little or no regard to the <br />northern part of Orange County. He feels that so many of the rules and regulations are detrimental to the agricultural <br />community. It has been mentioned that a good deal of information and cooperation is necessary and should be <br />considered. <br />Sim Efland said that the problem we are going to have is getting food at a reasonable price to raise a <br />family. Fifty years ago, he brought up the water situation in Orange County. The County Commissioners can help <br />determine what we are going to do in this county, but he says that we need to save the farmers and think about food. <br />We need to take all our resources and work on them. They may need to switch some of the County personnel around <br />and we need to do it. We need to have sewer and water available where people live. <br />THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS CLOSED. <br />The citizens were informed that a recommendation will be returned to the Board of County Commissioners <br />no sooner than Nov. 17. <br />8. ITEMS FOR DECISION - CONSENT AGENDA <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Halkiotis, seconded by Commissioner Crowther to approve those items on <br />the consent agenda as listed below: <br />a. Appointments <br />The Board made the following appointments: <br />Commission for the Environment <br />Roy Fortmann and Rosalinda Lidh were reappointed for terms ending December 31, 2001. <br />Board of Health <br />Jonathan Klein and Janet Southerland were reappointed for terms ending June 30, 2001. <br />b. Minutes <br />The Board approved minutes from its May 26 quarterly public hearing and continued meeting from May 19; <br />May 28 budget presentation and public hearing; and June 2, June 22, August 18 and Sept. 1 regular meetings. <br />c. iuuts-uu information i ecnnoiogy Tian - uis Lnnancements <br />The Board approved the GIS enhancement plans outlined and the expenditure of funds from the 1998-99 <br />CIP IT Plan project in the amount of $133,431 for this purpose and authorized the Purchasing Director to execute the <br />necessary documents to carry out equipment acquisitions. <br />d. Property Tax Refunds <br />The Board adopted a refund resolution for 11 property tax refund requests as listed below: <br />NAME ACCOUNT NUMBER AMOUNT <br />Beezley, Gary T. E96066 $ 121.60 <br />Burnette, Darryl Ray A49786 92.02 <br />Fitzgerald, Donna Lee E17365 120.02 <br />DECAL E10725 149.31