Orange County NC Website
VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br />i. Budget Amendment #2 <br />The Board considered approving budget ordinance amendments for fiscal year <br />2003-04. <br />Commissioner Jacobs pointed out that item number 2, Human Services and non- <br />departmental, is an application of monies that this Board set aside at the end of last <br />fiscal year for this fiscal year understanding that there would be shortfalls in funding far <br />Human Services. He also pointed out the third item, that the Sheriff's department will <br />now have the capability to catch speeders. He would like the Sheriff to spend more time <br />on Old NC 86, which is a dangerous road when people travel at a speed of 60-70 miles <br />an hour. <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Halkiotis, seconded by Commissioner <br />Carey to approve the budget ordinance amendments for Library Services, Human <br />Services Non-Departmental, Sheriff's Department, Emergency Management, <br />Department of Social Services, Orange Public Transportation, and PurchasinglCentral <br />Services. <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br />L Contract Extension with the APS for Operation of the Orange County <br />Animal Shelter <br />The Board considered authorizing continuation of the current contract with the <br />Animal Protection Society {APS} for operation of the Orange County Animal Shelter until <br />such time as the Board of County Commissioners elects otherwise, acknowledging that <br />this action shall extend the subject contract through, at minimum, October 31, 2003; and <br />authorizing the County Manager to provide written notice to APS of the renewal of the <br />contract with APS as provided in the contract addendum until further action by the <br />Board. <br />Commissioner Carey said that he pulled this to make a suggestion to the Board. <br />He thanked the Board for videotaping the report presentation because he could not <br />attend it. He said that there were some good recommendations made by HSUS, and <br />one was for a task force. He suggested that the Board consider extending the contract <br />to December 31, 2003 instead of October 31, 2003. This comes with the caveat that we <br />expect APS to focus on addressing some of the issues raised in the report as well as <br />before the report. <br />Public Comment: <br />Beverly Rockhill, Professor of Cancer Epidemiology at UNC, said that should the <br />current APS lose its contract with Orange County, there will be volunteers to work with <br />the new organization. She believes that there will be far more volunteers than currently <br />are at APS. She is no longer a volunteer at APS by her own choice. She will not be <br />volunteering at the facility again until it is under new management. She said that the <br />shelter is in disarray and disorganization and that there is apathy and occasional hostility <br />existing among those empowered at APS. She has volunteered for animal organizations <br />for the last 14 years and she is a lifetime member of APS. She asked the Board to keep <br />in mind a statement in the HSUS report regarding the removing of voting rights last <br />November. She quoted from the report as follows: "Several members of the APS Board <br />and staff reported to the HSUS that there had never been active participation by the <br />membership and that the annual meeting was historically attended by the board, staff <br />members, and very few others." She said that voting rights were removed from <br />