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She asked far a report from County Engineer Paul Thames. She would like to understand the <br />costs to the citizens for running water and sewer lines. <br />Chair Carey said that he would like to have a comprehensive report. <br />County Engineer Paul Thames indicated on a map the areas that had water and sewer <br />on Buckhorn Road. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis asked for any and all communications about when Mebane did <br />a satellite annexation of the PetroMart to be included in the comprehensive report. <br />Rev. Miles said that the emphasis was not on the iron in the water, but that the water <br />was muddy. <br />Commissioner Brown made reference to a report from Ron Holdway about two years <br />ago. She asked that this report be brought back to the Commissioners. <br />Commissioner Jacobs asked if the County's Environmental Health staff had been out to <br />this community and the citizens said no. Commissioner Jacobs asked that Environmental Health <br />go out and do sample tests and include that information in the comprehensive report. <br />John Link asked that the citizens give County Engineer Paul Thames their names and <br />addresses so that they could be contacted when Environmental Health can come out for testing. <br />{2) Martha Oxenfeldt <br />Martha Oxenfeldt, from the Orange County Commission for Women, spoke regarding <br />people with a low income or the working poor. She said that they have found that people can get <br />help with rental and food but no help with transportation. Welfare Reform is revealing that <br />transportation to work is a major obstacle. She said that in a 1999 survey that the Department of <br />Social Services conducted under day care services, 43°~ of the people leaving welfare during that <br />two-year period cited cars and transportation as a major obstacle to employment. She noted that <br />based on information they have obtained from a variety of sources, the Commission for Women <br />has developed a plan to provide transportation to the working poor in Orange County. This <br />program is called the Transportation Crisis Assistance Program. In order to implement this <br />program, seven members of the Commission for Women are willing to approach automobile <br />dealers about working out ways to donate cars. Also, the Commission for Women is going to ask <br />the County for same surplus vehicles. They are also planning to recruit some mechanics that <br />would offer low cost or pro Bono service. She said that an administrator would be needed for this <br />program. She asked that the 20-hour DSS Mobility Specialist be funded this fiscal year. She said <br />that this job also would need to be improved to attract qualified people. A job description is <br />included in the document. She said that if they are successful in this initial effort, they would be <br />coming back to the Commissioners and requesting that this position be made full time so that the <br />person can fully serve this population. <br />Commissioner Brown said that she would like to see the report sent to the Manager and <br />have him comment on any of the legal issues. Also, she asked that the Commission far Women <br />attend the DSS Board meeting and present their report. <br />John Link said that an extension of this position for one year is being proposed in the <br />budget. He said that he thought that this program could work. <br />Martha Oxenfeldt said that the Commission for Women also feels that there needs to be <br />a revolving loan fund. This is part of the report. One of the barriers when someone is given a car <br />is the cost of the licensing and insurance. This fund would be used far that purpose. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis said that he would like to see included in this report the efforts <br />from around the state. He asked about the opportunities that are available statewide. <br />Claudia Haskins, afull-time English as a Second Language {ESL) teacher at Culbreth <br />Middle School, said that there were 1.3 ESL teaching positions at Culbreth Middle School this year. <br />She said that the population of limited English proficient students has increased at an extraordinary <br />rate. She said that Culbreth Middle School has the largest ESL middle school population of <br />students who have the opportunity to return home quite easily. But in the past two years, not one <br />student who has gone home to visit has stayed. She said that these students need help to catch <br />up and keep up in school to become literate in English. She said that this would require more <br />