Minutes - 20021210 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Commissioner Jacobs apologized for not being able to return same phone calls because he has had problems with his telephone. He also read his Top Ten Things I Enjoyed About Going Without Power for 103 Hours. Commissioner Carey said that he still does not have power and he agrees with having Duke Power and other utility providers attend a Board of County Commissioners' meeting. Commissioner Gordon also extended her condolences to the family who last their son in Carrboro to a house fire. Commissioner Gordon announced that the Schools and Land Use Council meeting would be cancelled. Commissioner Gordan made reference to the early action compact and said that the Triangle J Council of Governments discussed this and she asked John Link to check in on it. She said that it would be very difficult to get it done by December 31 ~ because there is not much cooperation in extending the deadline. Chair Brown suggested getting all of this information together and then taking action in January. Chair Brown asked John Link to go over the efforts of the County during the ice storm. She offered her condolences to all who have suffered through this natural disaster. She would like to have Duke Power and Piedmont Electric to come and speak to the Board of County Commissioners. There is a resolution from Durham County asking the North Carolina Public Utilities Commission to make an inquiry about Duke Power's response to this emergency. She ran into one of the Durham County Commissioners, and he suggested that Orange County might want to join with them and perhaps Chapel Hill and Carrboro in asking the Public Utilities Commission to contact Duke Power. She asked John Link to write a letter to Duke Power and Piedmont Electric, inviting them to come to the meeting in January. Chair Brown asked about Smith Middle School and said that she thought it was to be designated as a shelter as part of the school budget. John Link will look into this. Chair Brown said that she also received a letter from UNC. She thinks that this is the committee that she and Commissioner Gordon volunteered for. It is fine with her if Commissioner Jacobs wants to serve on this committee. Commissioner Jacobs said that John Jeffries is now the official statewide representative for the Occaneechees. Commissioner Halkiotis suggested that Commissioner Jacobs and Chair Brown volunteer on this UNC committee. There are some important initiatives that are going to be discussed and there needs to be a County Commissioner presence. Chair Brawn will notify UNC that she and Commissioner Jacobs will be the representatives. Chair Brown said that she also wanted to know about the Homestead Exemption and how many people are using it. 4. COUNTY MANAGER'S REPORT Update an Ice Storm Recovery- John Link said that we could all empathize with the 14,000 citizens who are still without paver who are served by Duke Power and the 300 citizens who are served by Piedmont Electric. He said that there was a great community spirit in Orange County during this. He shared some of his experiences with the staff who responded so well since last Wednesday. EMS Director Nick Waters established the Emergency Operation Center at 3:00 p.m. last Wednesday. He thanked the Red Cross for staffing the two shelters. The County received notice on Friday that the Governor had released the National Guard, and 20 National Guardsmen from Reidsville came on Saturday and Sunday and worked with the Orange Public Transportation System. They made 250 visits in homes of the frail, elderly, and disabled. The teams provided water, blankets, and food to these individuals and families. The staff and volunteers also contacted another 300 people who may have been receiving Meals an Wheels or who were an the Telephone Reassurance Program. The Department of Social Services has provided emergency assistance and has been working with the Orange Congregations in Mission to provide emergency food and water. He thanked Health Director Rosemary Summers and her nurses who helped to provide nursing around the clock to both shelters. He thanked OCIM again because they opened far extended hours on Saturday and Sunday so that we could use their facility and staff to help in staging the assistance provided through the National Guard and OPT. This is where the water, food, and blankets were located and where they were dispersed. EI Centro Latina provided assistance in translating an outreach flyer about using warming devices.