Orange County NC Website
Please make this issue a priority; please do what is so obviously right and fair; and <br />please do not delay any longer. <br />The statement had the following names typed at the bottom: Brooke Johnson, <br />Janet Mousley, Anna Niemitz, and Ben Niemitz. <br />Anna Niemitz said that Brooke Johnson had said everything for them and they were <br />shocked to find that the resolution was not binding. They have been pursuing this and hoping <br />that some kind of fair resolution would be reached for all of them who were affected. <br />Commissioner Brown said that Chair Jacobs will arrive in a few minutes and <br />Commissioner Halkiotis is out of town. <br />Commissioner Carey asked haw many families this county line issue affects. <br />Brooke Johnson said two families. <br />John Link said that staff is aware and sensitive to this issue. He said that <br />Commissioner Brawn, who was Chair at that time, and the staff met with the Chair of the <br />Chatham County Commissioners and staff last year and the ball is in the Chatham County <br />court. It takes bath counties to agree, and Orange County is ready to continue with the <br />commitment. He was in the group in 1989 and he knows exactly what they agreed to at that <br />time. The commitment was that where they had agreed the bubbles would be, then they would <br />carry with the property and not just with the owners. He suggested that the two families also <br />appear before the Chatham County Commissioners and take their neighbors with them. <br />Commissioner Brown said that she remembered at the meeting that the Chair of the <br />Chatham County Commissioners agreed to what the Manager just said and that the properties <br />would be protected. <br />Commissioner Carey said that he remembers getting a report back about the <br />meeting and that everything was resolved. The Chair of the Chatham Board is the same now. <br />Assistant County Manager Rod Visser said that there are about two dozen parcels <br />that have been identified along the county lines, not just in the Clearwater Lake area, that are <br />either partially in Orange County, partially in Chatham County, or fully in one or the other and <br />may have been taxed by the other County before the 1989 agreement. These two families are <br />the most concerned about it. He said that when they met last year with Chatham County, the <br />agreement they tried to reach was related to having a sunset provision added to the existing <br />1989 resolution. The problem is that it did not provide the residents the protection they were <br />looking for. The residents' concern is the valuation of their property. The legislative task force <br />has this item as a potential issue. <br />Brooke Johnson said that he has been to the Chatham County Commissioners <br />three or four times in the past two years. He thinks that it will take the two chairs getting <br />together. They are taxed by both counties and it has gone on since 2Q01. <br />Rad Visser said that Orange County has it on their legislative agenda, and the key <br />is to get Chatham County to do the same. <br />Joe Talley spoke and he represents a group from Hillsborough Presbyterian <br />Church. He commended the County Commissioners for their support for affordable housing in <br />Orange County. He encouraged all of the church-related people to come forward and make <br />similar statements of support for affordable housing. He said that they believe that it is terrible if <br />you work 40 hours a week in America at the minimum wage and are still not able to afford a <br />place to live for your family. He encouraged the Board to continue their work in affordable <br />housing. He presented a petition. <br />b. Matters on the Printed Agenda <br />(These matters were considered when the Board addressed that item on the agenda <br />below.} <br />