Orange County NC Website
Director Dave Stancil was coming to speak to them about Orange County's Lands Legacy <br />program. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis distributed a handout about ending the cycle of recidivism and <br />best practices to divert mentally ill individuals from county jails. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis thanked John Link and Paul Thames for following up on the <br />power line issue to the middle school #3 and soccer complex site. He is still worried about the <br />possible addition of a $150,000 charge for an underground bus system to carry the electrical <br />lines. He wants to stay on top of this. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis said that he is glad to hear that on April 5th the County <br />Commissioners will get an update on the soccer complex access road and the possible DOT <br />insistence that more trees need to be cut down. He thinks the County should hold ground on <br />this. He wants to leave the old animals and old trees alone. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis said that he read the minutes of the last Solid Waste Advisory <br />Board (SWAB) meeting, and he has a problem because he does not understand why the <br />SWAB has made the position that garbage is not being shifted elsewhere, so recyclable <br />construction debris should not be shifted elsewhere. He said that the County Commissioners <br />made a political decision that another landfill would not be sited in Orange County. He asked <br />for some clarification on this position. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis asked the Manager to ask Chief District Court Judge Joe <br />Buckner and the Sheriff to give an update on courthouse security at the next regular meeting. <br />The events in Atlanta recently with a shooting in the courthouse are particularly troubling. <br />Commissioner Jacobs thanked and commended Dianne Reid and the Economic <br />Development Commission for the State of the Economy Breakfast. He made reference to the <br />five-year goal of creating 5,000 jobs and increasing the value of non-residential property by <br />$125 million in Orange County and said that a major way to achieve this goal is to activate the <br />economic development districts south of Hillsborough and between Efland and Mebane. He <br />thinks the prospects for economic development in Orange County are better now than they <br />have been anytime since he has lived here. He suggested that for next year that there be a <br />chart with the amount of acreage developed per year versus the acreage that has been <br />protected per year. <br />Commissioner Jacobs asked about Bob Segal and where he is with his investigations <br />on the efficiencies in operations of the two school systems and when there might be another <br />report. John Link said that he does not have a specific response, but he will get some <br />information to the Board and possibly have Mr. Segal come to a meeting and report. <br />Chair Carey recommended that the Educational Excellence Task Force report be put <br />on the County's website so that the public can have access to it. It was answered that it has <br />already been posted on the website. <br />Chair Carey made reference to a letter written to the Manager by Charlie Zimmerly <br />praising the service he got at the County landfill by an employee. He commended the landfill <br />staff for the outstanding service. <br />4. County Manager's Report <br />John Link asked Craig Benedict to respond to Commissioner Cordon's request about <br />Comprehensive Plan outreach dates. Planning Director Craig Benedict said that they have <br />begun outreach meetings and the last two are on March 29th at the Schley Community Center <br />at 7:00 p.m. and on March 31St at the F. Gordon Battle Courtroom. There have already been <br />two other meetings -one at the Homestead Center and one in Cedar Grove. They have been <br />addressing general principles such as anti-sprawl measures, air and water quality, options for <br />lowering density, and minimum lot size. He made reference to Commissioner Jacobs' <br />