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Commissioner Halkiotis said that he does not support district elections. He feels that there is <br />a segment of the population who will always feel that they are not represented. <br />The County Commissioners discussed at length the advantages and disadvantages of district <br />elections. Commissioner Brown and Commissioner Halkiotis said they were not interested in <br />pursing this issue and Chair Gordon said that she did not know of a district election plan that could <br />address the philosophical differences that are the major issue. Commissioner Jacobs said that he <br />is not opposed to looking at this but he feels we can accomplish many of our same goals by looking <br />at the composition of our boards and commissions to which the County Commissioners make <br />appointments. <br />FIREARMS <br />The County Commissioners heard concerns about firearms from a citizen on January 19 and <br />decided at that time to reactivate the Hunting Committee to look at this issue. They requested that <br />this committee also look at discharge of firearms within a certain number of feet from a school and <br />other issues involving alcohol and hunting. <br />CHILDCARE FOR COUNTY EMPLOYEES <br />Commissioner Carey said that he learned that there are County employees in need of <br />subsidy for childcare. He feels we need to pay our employees enough to afford childcare or to <br />subsidize those employees who meet subsidy criteria. He feels we also need to challenge both <br />school systems and the municipalities to help solve this problem. Commissioner Jacobs said that <br />the goal might be to seek adequate childcare for children, not only those of County employees. <br />John Link said that there are two programs which offer subsidies for childcare. One program <br />is offered by DSS which has a lower threshold of eligibility than the other program administered by <br />Daycare Association, to which the income range can go as high as $30,000 to $35,000. He asked <br />if he could come back with a report before the County Commissioners make a decision on this. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis would like to know how other companies are providing day care for <br />their employees or ensuring that employees can pay for adequate daycare. <br />WELFARE REFORM <br />Chair Gordon said that with welfare reform, she wants to be sure we are following through on <br />these goals. She asked for an update on these goals. <br />Commissioner Jacobs asked for a report on what the County is doing for Work First <br />participants in locating/providing jobs within the County government. <br />HEALTHY CAROLINIANS <br />Commissioner Brown put this on because she is interested in understanding how the Healthy <br />Carolinians Task Force is meeting its objectives for the needs of children, teen pregnancy and the <br />use of preventive services. She would like to know what services we provide and what nonprofits <br />we are giving money to that may address some of these objectives. She would like to have these <br />objectives clarified and an update before we set new goals. <br />Commissioner Carey said that the objective of the Healthy Carolinians is not for the County to <br />provide all the services that would make this a healthy County. It is for the people who are involved <br />in human health and in human services, and some who are not, to get involved and work together to <br />make this a healthy County and achieve the goals in that report. This is an important area that <br />needs a lot of work over the next few years.