Orange County NC Website
area. There will be follow up on the other 78 non-replies. Solid Waste Director Gayle Wilson <br />was going to visit the county within the next month. <br />Chair Jacobs said that Dan Jones, Fire Chief of Chapel Hill, took the time to <br />compliment our Emergency Management staff on their professional manner of carrying on <br />during the illness of Nick Waters. He passed along a card from Dan Jones. <br />Commissioner Gordon said that she just found out that the meeting that was scheduled <br />with Daug Galyon has been rescheduled on June 15Y at 3:00 p.m. <br />Commissioner Brown asked if there was any discussion about coordinating the timing <br />for improvements on Smith Level Road and the high school. <br />Chair Jacobs said that the person in charge of school planning from DOT said that this <br />eventually was going to happen. DOT is going to invite elected officials to come and talk <br />through the proposal from Carrboro and whether or not it is feasible. <br />4. County Manager's Report <br />John Link made reference to Commissioner Halkiotis' request of addressing social <br />services issues and suggested discussing it at a budget work session on this topic. One of the <br />themes of the budget presentation is that, even as the two major sources of revenues for the <br />County are stable, they are incurring significant reductions in intergovernmental transfers of <br />state and federal funding for human services. The safety net funding in the budget has been <br />replenished, but there are some issues that are critical. <br />John Link said that Nick Waters would be happy if he were here tonight to report this <br />himself. He said that there has been an approval of a major amount of federal funds for <br />communications in Emergency Management. <br />Rad Visser said that this funding would make a dent in the price tag for the emergency <br />communications infrastructure project. The Homeland Security Department will be giving the <br />County $1,451,000 from the 2003 Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program. These <br />funds will help to improve the technology for EMS. There will be collaboration within the County <br />and beyond the County boundaries on a regional basis. There may also be additional federal <br />grant money coming. <br />Rod Visser mentioned that there would be a memorial service far Nick Waters on May <br />22"d at 2:00 at the United Church of Chapel Hill. He thinks this project is a testament to Nick's <br />tenure. <br />Chair Jacobs said that it is troubling now haw many people live in poverty in Orange <br />County, according to the Healthy Carolinians report. He hopes that the County can continue to <br />be flexible and creative to do a better jab of reaching these people. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis said that he was troubled when he read about NCACC updates <br />and what the legislature is talking about doing. It appears that it may affect the school systems <br />with some limited capital monies. He would like to have some kind of an alert sheet. He has <br />been getting a lot of negative comments from citizens about the proposed solid waste fee. He <br />has been saying that the State has failed with recycling initiatives that would have provided a <br />revenue stream. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis asked for an update on the proposal he read to give the Sheriff <br />in each county $1,200 far each poker machine that is in the county just to keep it legal. He <br />thinks this is ludicrous. <br />5. Items for Decision--Consent Agenda <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Halkiotis, seconded by Commissioner Brown to <br />approve those items on the consent agenda as stated below: <br />a. Minutes <br />