Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
<br />APPROVED 1/23/2007 <br />MINUTES <br />ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />REGULAR MEETING <br />November 14, 2006 <br />7:30 p.m. <br />The Orange Caunty Board of Commissioners met in regular session on Tuesday, <br />November 14, 2006 at 7:30 p.m. at the Southern Human Services Center, in Chapel Hill, North <br />Carolina. <br />COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Barry Jacobs and Commissioners Moses <br />Carey, Jr., Valerie P. Foushee, Alice M. Gordon, and Stephen Halkiotis <br />COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: <br />COUNTY ATTORNEYS PRESENT: Geoffrey Gledhill <br />COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: Interim County Manager Rod Visser, Assistant County <br />Manager Gwen Harvey, and Clerk to the Board Donna S. Baker {All other staff members will be <br />identified appropriately below} <br />NOTE: ALL DOCUMENTS REFERRED TO IN THESE MINUTES ARE IN THE PERMANENT <br />AGENDA FILE IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE. <br />1. Additions or Changes to the Agenda <br />Chair Jacobs reviewed the two changes. Item 9-c will be pulled and the Manager will <br />address this under his comments. It will come back as a decision item probably on December <br />4t''. Also, Commissioner Carey asked that item 9-d-1 be pulled until there is a clarification from <br />the Town of Chapel Hill. <br />PUBLIC CHARGE <br />The Chair dispensed with the reading of the public charge. <br />2. Public Comments <br />a. Matters not on the Printed Agenda <br />Megan Gifford is a member of the Orange County Rescue Squad Board of Directors. <br />She was joined by other members. The rescue squad's board met last night and viewed <br />videotape of the public comments made at the November 2°d Board of County Commissioners' <br />meeting. She formally apologized on behalf of the Orange County Rescue Squad Board to the <br />County Commissioners for these comments. She said that Jamie Daniel is a former member of <br />the squad, but in no way was he authorized to speak on behalf of the organization. She said <br />that the comments made by Chief Brian Matthews were his own opinions and his attendance at <br />the last BOCC meeting were not sanctioned or authorized by OCRS Board, nor was the board <br />informed of the Chief's intent to attend the meeting and speak. She said that the comments <br />made by Chief Matthews were unfortunate and largely inaccurate. She said that it is true that <br />the rescue squad has sought funding from the County Commissioners for the past two years, <br />and it was only in the past year that the appropriate channels to request funds were followed. <br />This was the rescue squad's error, and was a learning experience. She said that, upon learning <br />of the funding needs, the Board of County Commissioners was proactive in sponsoring a study <br />of all emergency services in the County, including rescue, EMS, and fire. It is unfortunate that <br />the Sage Group study did not meet the goals and standards set forth, but this was through no <br />