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to run far reelection or were not successful yesterday. These include Allen Spalt, Mayor Horace <br />Johnson, Brian Lawen, Lee Pavao, Joyce Brown, and Mayor Rosemary Waldorf. <br />Chair Halkiotis thanked the citizens who voted yesterday. He also thanked the Sheriff who <br />received a grant for $24,268 from the U.S. Justice Department for reimbursement of same of the costs <br />for holding federal prisoners in the Orange County jail. Orange County was one out of 517 eligible local <br />entities out of a total of 3,140 that had applied. <br />Chair Halkiotis asked that the County Manager set up a process for spending/allocating the bond <br />monies. He suggested that two County Commissioners be part of the process. John Link said that at <br />the County Commissioners' retreat an Saturday, December 8 (this has since been moved to February) <br />he will make a presentation on the process. <br />Chair Halkiotis made reference to the recruitment and selection process for Assistant County <br />Manager. He feels there needs to be some kind of Commissioner involvement in the process. He thinks <br />this position is critically important. <br />Commissioner Gordon agreed that a County Commissioner needs to be involved in the selection of <br />an Assistant County Manager. She also thanked all of those people who had worked an the bond <br />education process. <br />4. COUNTY MANAGER'S REPORT <br />John Link said that he has a number of people that he would like to recognize tonight. The first is <br />Susan Clifford, Senior Public Health Educator in the County's Health Department. She has, with other <br />staff members, developed the Child Health Awareness Project. This project received the Outstanding <br />Health Education Project Award from the North Carolina Society for Public Health Education. This award <br />acknowledges that for the first year of their project 15 LatinolHispanic women were trained as child <br />health promoters. These 15 women in turn passed information and referrals along to 120 families in just <br />a six-month period. They have also produced information on child safety relative to kitchen safety <br />published in both Spanish and English. They are now in the process of training 12 women for the <br />Northern Center in Cedar Grove. <br />John Link recognized Director of Human Rights and Relations Annette Moore who has been <br />elected to serve on the National Board of Directors for the National Association of Human Rights <br />Workers. She is also serving as Vice-President in North Carolina far the same association. <br />John Link recognized Mike Lanier who is our new Agricultural Economic Development Coordinator. <br />John Link recognized Bill Matthews who is in charge of the Wheels for Work vehicle donation <br />program in the Department on Aging. Bill Matthews said that the goal was to acquire three cars per <br />month and they have accomplished that goal. There have been 21 cars received and placed in homes <br />for low-income working families who are in desperate need of transportation. Bill Matthews shared a <br />brochure with the County Commissioners. He thanked the Commission far Women who had the vision <br />to develop this program. <br />John Link reported that Durham Tech began its first computer class at the Northern Human <br />Services Center last evening. They will offer two additional courses next semester and other classes <br />next fall. <br />John Link made reference to information that he distributed on a conference that will be held <br />December 10-12 in Pinehurst. The conference is an the changes in the mental health statutes and the <br />present plan proposed by the Secretary of Human Services. On Tuesday, December 11t", they will talk <br />about how the local entities are expected to develop a business plan and work with other counties to <br />develop a new approach to mental health delivery. By next October each County is supposed to submit <br />to the state what the County's plan ar structure will be far delivery of services. He said that the County <br />Commissioners' Association is planning to have aone-day seminar the latter part of January for all <br />County Commissioners devoted to this topic. <br />Chair Halkiotis said that his concern continues to be the financial impact on counties and the new <br />fiscal responsibilities assumed. He asked if the Manager had heard anything about this. John Link said <br />that the buck would only be passed if the County wants to participate in having the buck passed. From <br />what he was told today, the counties will have the latitude to determine to what extent they will be <br />involved as the lead management entity and to what extent services are continued as public services as <br />apposed to being contracted to private vendors. <br />