Orange County NC Website
The Board heard a report on options to provide a ball field at Fairview Park. These options <br />are listed in the agenda materials. <br />John Link said that some options were researched to provide a ball field at Fairview Parkin <br />the interim in response to the Commissioners' request. He summarized the options as listed in the <br />agenda materials. The staff is recommending that the present field be considered as an option for the <br />upcoming season. If the environmental assessment is not suitable, the staff recommends pursuing the <br />combination of using the two elementary school fields at least far practice, and hopefully using the <br />Orange County High School softball field far games. <br />Chair Carey noted that the options mentioned by John Link are short term. The Town of <br />Hillsborough will be included in the long-term plans. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis said that he understands that there will be another group coming <br />before the Board of County Commissioners about peewee football. He feels there needs to be some <br />cohesive planning about athletic fields and how they can be shared. He feels a group should be <br />convened to address a plan for the future. <br />Commissioner Gordon questioned option one of using the existing ball field and asked how <br />the County was going to become the lead coordinator of activities involving the Fairview Park ball field. <br />John Link said that the most straightforward approach would be for the County to provide in- <br />kind services to this community and have the operation conducted by the Fairview community. <br />Commissioner Gordon suggested setting up an unofficial moratorium on requests for athletic <br />fields until the Master Parks and Recreation Plan is considered further. <br />Chair Carey feels that the County needs to rethink how the public can use all the athletic <br />fields available in the County regardless of who invested in improving the fields. With regard to the use of <br />the elementary school fields, people in the community are using the fields for other things besides <br />scheduled activities. <br />Commissioner Brown would like to have information on the availability of the elementary <br />school ball fields. She would also like for the Recreation and Parks Board to look at some things and <br />bring forward the task force report at a work session. The County Commissioners could also look at <br />other requests for bond monies that have been received from Chapel Hill and Carrboro. <br />John Link said that the staff would work on both options and bring back a recommendation. <br />Commissioner Jacobs said that the County needed to figure out what resources are available <br />and how these resources are going to be allocated. <br />Commissioner Gordon emphasized that there needs to be active planning for recreation in <br />the County. She thinks it is important to articulate in some farm, (i.e., news release or letter), that the <br />request was received and the Board will take it into consideration in the planning process. <br />John Link suggested that Commissioner Brown and David Stancil include this item in the <br />presentations they are giving to each jurisdiction in the next few weeks. <br />11. APPOINTMENTS <br />The Board considered appointments to the Board of Health. <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Brown, seconded by Commissioner Jacobs to accept the <br />Board of Health's recommendation to appoint Lee Werley, II I as the pharmacist representative for a term <br />ending June 30, 2001 and Sandra Quinn as an at-large representative for a term ending June 30, 2002. <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br />12. MINUTES <br />Commissioner Gordon made reference to the minutes for June 15th on page 3, line 43. It should <br />say, "The Board has no intention of using the 60 acres for solid waste burial." Also, on June 22"d, the <br />sentence should be added to line 14 and not line 24. <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Gordon, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to approve <br />as amended the minutes from the following meetings: March 22, 1999 work session; April 14, 1999 JPA <br />public hearing; May 11, 1999 budget work session; June 8, 1999 budget work session; June 15, 1999 <br />budget work session; June 21, 1999 regular meeting; June 22, 1999 special meeting; Sept. 21, 1999 <br />C&D public hearing; Oct. 5, 1999 regular meeting; Oct. 12, 1999 work session; Oct. 19, 1999 regular <br />meeting; Nov. 3, 1999 regular meeting; Nov. 9, 1999 work session; and, Nov. 16, 1999 regular meeting. <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br />13. CLOSED SESSION <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Brown, seconded by Commissioner Gordon to go into closed <br />session, "To discuss the County's position and to instruct the County Manager and County Attorney on <br />