ORD-2003-182 Approval of Equipment and Vehicle Purchases for Fiscal Year 2003-04

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Commissioner Gordon. asked about the private placement Loan previously approved by the Board for the purchase of landfill equipment. She asked what happens with the landfill equipment. Budget Director Donna. Dean. said that this would be added to the landfill equipment. They would'still purchase: landfill. equipment. Commissioner- Gordon. verified that the payments would be $73,600 a year for five years. Chair Jacobs said that the Board approved $500,000 reduced from $725,000 for this fiscal year,. and nowit is $825,000. He asked if this: would,be reflected. in next year`s request. John Linksaid that this is an opportunity to address the ambulance needs. They did pare down other departments' needs earlier and this would make an impact on the EMS needs.. Donna Dean said that each year the departments update their CI'P and it'is part of a replacement schedule for vehicles. It would be reflected in next year's budget. Chair Jacobs asked for. more;information on defibrillators and putting them in public places and training ,people to use them. at o#her County buildings: Carnmissoner Halkiotis agreed. He-.said that the airlines .have been putting: these in airplanes. John Link aid that,he would be willing to be a trainee in their' building,. As stated earlier;. a motion was made by Commissioner Carey, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to approve the equipment and vehicle purchases for County departments, excluding Information Systems-and Solid Waste, for fiscal year 2x03-04 and authorize the Finance Director to finance the purchase of four ambulances through an outstanding private placement loan proposal from CC'B, previously. approved by the Board for purchase of Landfill equipment and authorize the.. Finance Director and County Attorney to execute the documents necessary to complete the funding.. VOTE:. UNANIMOUS b The Boardconsidered building the capacity of the Orange County Health Department to carry- out its responsibilities in public health preparedness and emergency response as part of the overall Orange County emergency response through acceptance of funds available and establishing two public health preparedness positions, and accepting the additional allocation of=funds from.. the North Carolina Division of Public Health in the amount of $.69,199; and accepting the $50,000 grant award from the US Department of Health and Human Services. Public Health Service for development of a Medical Reserve Corps in Orange County, :and :authorizing a permanent full-time public health nurse position to fulfill the duties as the Public Health Preparedness Coordinator effective December 1, 2003, and authorizing a permanentfull-time public health educator as he VolunteerCoordinator effective December 1, 2003 to fulfill the duties associated with creating a Medical Reserve Corps in Orange County,-subject to the continuation of grant funds. Orange County Health Director Rosie Summers asked for approval-ta build their capacity at the Health Department to carry out responsibilities in public health preparedness :and response. This is part'.: of the overall Orange-County Emergency Response effort. She gave some background on the proposal. Since 1999, they have had at least one public health emergency need each-year. They range'from a Hepatitis A outbreak fo the post 911 response with anthrax scares and with the creation. of the Homeland'. Security Department. She saidthat their experience is that. they need permanent ongoing personnel to sustain the effort in emergency planning and a so to develop the emergency plans. The day-to-day effort includes six separate parts of the: plan,. They have received assurance that there are recurring:federal funds. flowing to the State and then being dispersed to the local areas. f~range County's allocation is $69,199. Attachment 2 has a full listing. of the deliverables for this recurring fund. They atso received notice for a medical reserve corps granffrom the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services of $50,000 for three. successive years to develop a medical reserve corps of volunteers. They have already mailed 2,000 postcards to registe-red nurses, 484 to licensed practical nurses, and 270 to pharmacists all' in Orange County.: 'From those postcards, they have received 254 expressions of interest. Of chose,:. 98 attended an orientation session. Some- of these 98 volunteered to staff shelters during Hurricane Isabel, and eight nurses were used during- the recent flu campaign to provide. vaccinations to the public. The plan is to keep. the volunteers active by getting them involved in community events.