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APPROVED 10/19199 <br />MINUTES <br />ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />Regular Meeting <br />May 18, 1999 <br />The Orange County Board of Commissioners met in regular session on Tuesday, May 18, 1999 at 7:30 <br />p.m. in the board room at the Southern Human Services Center, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. <br />COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Alice M <br />Brown, Moses Carey, Jr., Stephen H. Halkiotis and Barry Jacobs <br />COUNTY ATTORNEY PRESENT: Geoffrey Gledhill <br />COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager John M. <br />Visser and Albert Kittrell and Clerk to the Board Beverly A. Blythe <br />appropriately below) <br />Gordon, and Commissioners Margaret W. <br />Link, 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 <br />WILL BE KEPT FOR 5 YEARS. <br />1. ADDITIONS OR CHANGES TO THE AGENDA None <br />2. CITIZEN & AUDIENCE COMMENTS <br />a. Matters on the Printed Aaenda <br />Chair Gordon stated that citizens who have indicated a desire to speak on an item that appears on <br />the printed agenda will be recognized at the appropriate time. <br />b. Matters not on the Printed Agenda <br />Paulette Scott spoke in support of the English as a Second Language (ESL) program. She said <br />that the ESL specialist deals with a variety of students, and is called upon to make many home visits in an <br />attempt to build student confidence. The ESL population is growing. She urged the County Commissioners <br />to keep these students in the loop. She requested that the Board of County Commissioners accept both <br />school systems' budgets as presented so that they can fund the ESL expansion. <br />Marty Mandell thanked the County Commissioners for their support of the electric car. The grant <br />that the Solar Planning Committee requested was denied. However, the Town of Chapel Hill did receive <br />some grant money. The Committee has come up with an idea for a solar powered bicycle. She distributed a <br />picture of the prototype and an article about these bicycles. The Solar Planning Committee would like to <br />convert one bicycle beginning with a used bicycle. This conversion would cost $700. The Solar Planning <br />Committee plans to complete one conversion on a trial basis. The Carolina Tarwheels have offered to give <br />them $100 toward this project. These bicycles could be two or three wheel and could be used for a variety <br />of uses, including for the handicapped. She requested that the County Commissioners support this project <br />by making a contribution. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis said that he and Commissioner Brown have met with Marty Mandell on <br />the electric car project. He asked that the Board of Commissioners support this project. He said he learned <br />that Chapel Hill used their vehicle replacement money to leverage additional federal money. He asked that <br />Orange County look at its replacement schedule and try to leverage other state and federal monies. <br />Commissioner Jacobs suggested that the proposal be put in writing. He also suggested meeting <br />with the three police departments who use bicycles and try to partner with them on this project. He does <br />support this project. <br />This item was referred to the staff to be brought back to a meeting in the very near future.