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APPROVED 05106!2003 MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS REGULAR MEETING March 5, 2003 The Orange County Board of Commissioners met for regular session on Wednesday, March 5, 2003 at 7:30 p.m. at the Southern Human Services Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Margaret Brown and Commissioners Moses Carey, Jr., Alice M. Gordon, Stephen Halkiotis and Barry Jacobs COUNTY ATTORNEY PRESENT: Geoffrey Gledhill, Sean Borhanian COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager John M. Link, Jr., Assistant County Managers Rod Visser and Gwen Harvey and Clerk to the Board Donna S. Baker (All other staff members will be identified appropriately below} NOTE: ALL DOCUMENTS REFERRED TO IN THESE MINUTES ARE IN THE PERMANENT AGENDA FILE IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE. 1. ADDITIONS OR CHANGES TO THE AGENDA Chair Brown asked to postpone item 5-a to the next meeting, the Tommy Thompson Resolution. Commissioner Gordon asked to postpone item 9-d, Boards and Commissions. PUBLIC CHARGE The Chair dispensed with the reading of the public charge. 2. CITIZEN & AUDIENCE COMMENTS a. Matters not on the Printed Agenda Bobby Schopler spoke on the Piedmont Wildlife Center and the progress for this center and thanked the Board of Commissioners for their support. He feels that Orange County is the ideal location for this center. He gave an update on activities since he last spoke to the County Commissioners and reported that there has been increased membership to aver 100 members and a benefit concert is scheduled for March 15t". The Center has matched its first $50,000 matching gift and is talking with another donor and hopes to have an announcement an March 15t". The Center has completed applications with other counties (Durham and Guilford) for funding and has communicated with all of the counties in the Piedmont. The Center is finalizing an agreement for a temporary location in an area organization. This site has a building and 350 acres. The education committee has put on its first teaching seminar and has plans for a first school program. As of today, they are being considered for a 501-C-3 status. He gave reasons for locating the Center in Orange County. He said that Orange County is conveniently located between the Piedmont and the Triangle and is halfway between the zoo and the vet school. One potential site is the Seven Mile Creek property. Chair Brown asked to refer this to the Manager to ask for an evaluation. Dr. Schopler referred to an earlier funding proposal that he had submitted to the Board of Commissioners. He said that he could resubmit this proposal if needed. b. Matters on the Printed Agenda {These matters were considered as the Board addressed the items on the agenda below.} 3. BOARD COMMENTS Chair Brown recognized the League of Women Voters who were attending tonight's meeting as a part of their educational program. Commissioner Halkiotis said that he wanted to highlight the events last Thursday night and Friday of the ice storm and that the northern and central parts of the County had over 3,000 households without