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APPROVED 10/19/99 <br />MINUTES <br />ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />REGULAR MEETING <br />March 16, 1999 <br />The Orange County Board of Commissioners met in regular session on Tuesday, March 16, 1999, at <br />7:30 p.m. in the Southern Human Services Center Board room, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. <br />COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Alice M. Gordon, and Commissioners Margaret W. <br />Brown, Stephen H. Halkiotis, and Barry Jacobs. <br />COUNTY COMMISSIONER ABSENT: Moses Carey, Jr. <br />COUNTY ATTORNEY PRESENT: Geoffrey Gledhill. <br />COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager John M. Link, <br />Visser and Albert Kittrell, and Clerk to the Board Beverly A. Blythe <br />appropriately below). <br />Jr., Assistant County Managers Rod <br />(all other staff members will be identified <br />NOTE: ALL DOCUMENTS REFERRED TO IN THESE MINUTES ARE IN THE PERMANENT <br />AGENDA FILE IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE. ALL RECORDINGS OF THE MEETING WILL <br />BE KEPT FOR 5 YEARS. <br />1. ADDITIONS OR CHANGES TO THE AGENDA <br />The Board agreed to add as Item I on the regular agenda a matter related to Shearon Harris. <br />2. CITIZEN & AUDIENCE COMMENTS <br />a. Matters on the Printed Agenda <br />Chair Gordon stated that citizens who have indicated a desire to speak on an item that <br />appears on the printed agenda will be recognized at the appropriate time. <br />b. Matters not on the Printed Agenda <br />Mark Barroso said that he moved here in April 1998 and purchased a house in June 1998. <br />After he bought the house, he discovered many structural problems with it that were not disclosed at the <br />time of purchase. He went to the Planning Department to find out if the addition on the house had been <br />permitted. It was permitted, however, there is no system of following up on permits, as the previous owner <br />never called for a final inspection, so one was not performed. Mr. Barroso believes that this failure of the <br />permitting and inspection system will cost him approximately $3,000.00 in repairs. Mr. Barroso stated that <br />it was his duty to bring this to the attention of the governing board and that citizens need some type of <br />protection. Mr. Barroso did receive a telephone call from Planning Director Craig Benedict, who is aware of <br />the problem and who requested an opportunity to address Mr. Barroso's complaint. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis sought further information as to the problems with the house. Mr. <br />Barroso indicated that he had flooding in his basement, the permit specified electric baseboard heat, and a <br />couple of other items that were to be done, when, in fact, other work was performed not in compliance with <br />the permit. This includes a gas heating system, which the gas company has informed Mr. Barraso to never <br />light or use, as it is a fire and carbon monoxide hazard. There is also a stairwell on the side of the house <br />that is detaching and could fall at any time. Mr. Barroso stated that this was a 25-year-old house, but the <br />problems were with additions that were done in 1989 by the previous owner; if it had been a new house, <br />then a final inspection would had to have been performed prior to sale. <br />Chair Gordon expressed the Board's appreciation for bringing attention to this deficiency, <br />and the matter was referred to the Manager for investigation. <br />PUBLIC CHARGE <br />Chair Gordon dispensed with the reading of the public charge.