Orange County NC Website
<br />Commissioner Gordan reported that the Transportation Advisory Committee met and <br />Karen Lincoln will provide a summary of the meeting notes. <br />Commissioner Gordon reported that there was a Nuclear Regulatory Commission <br />hearing. She heard the proceedings by telephone utilizing the process the NRC provided for <br />interested individuals to call in and make their presence known and thereby be part of the <br />proceedings. She said that Progress Energy was going to make an application to the NRC to <br />extend the years of operation at the Shearon Harris Nuclear Plant. Previously it was brought to <br />the BOCC's attention that Progress Energy had been out of compliance with the fire safety <br />regulations for a long time. The Board passed a resolution supporting an action by the NRC to <br />enforce the fire safety regulations. Yesterday, there was a delayed hearing on the fire safety <br />petition. She said that it was not reassuring because the NRC does not seem inclined to <br />enforce the regulations. She said that today she received an email that Progress Energy is <br />going to submit a license renewal application to the NRC requesting an additional 20 years of <br />operation of the Shearon Harris Nuclear Plant. She is very concerned by this. She hopes that <br />the County can do everything possible to try and get the plant into compliance before it gets <br />another 20 years. She said that she heard from Tom Vanderbeck, a Chatham County <br />Commissioner, that Chatham County might also pass a resolution sometime after the first of the <br />year regarding the fire safety regulations. <br />Commissioner Gordan asked for information about the progress of instituting the six-mile <br />fire district. <br />Commissioner Gordon said that she has been asking far a public hearing on December <br />4t" for the schools and capital projects and debt issuance schedule. She asked if this was on <br />the agenda. Rod Visser said that this will be discussed with the County Attorney and it will go <br />through the normal agenda process. <br />Commissioner Gordon thanked all the citizens that supported her during this past <br />election. This is her fifth term. She thanked her family and her husband Alan, who was a strong <br />supporter. <br />Commissioner Foushee said that the County Commissioners received a NCACC <br />Medicaid alert by email. In the alert, it indicates that the Health Subcommittee on Medicaid has <br />chosen as its top priority a recommendation to continue the Medicaid cap as it stands now for <br />the next fiscal year, 2007-08, while a permanent solution is being pursued. She reminded the <br />County Commissioners to weigh in an this issue. <br />Commissioner Foushee said that the Mental Health Association in Orange County's fall <br />forum will present "School Shootings -Facts and Myths -Keeping Our Schools Safe" at A. L. <br />Stanback Middle School on Tuesday, November 28t", from 7:00-9:00 p.m. <br />Commissioner Foushee reported that the Affordable Housing Advisory Board is in the <br />process of investigating the impact of development on mobile hams parks. The AHAB will be <br />using interns to do research on what has happened around the country that relates to this issue <br />and will bring some recommendations to the Board. <br />Commissioner Foushee thanked Dan Bruce from the Planning Department for showing <br />her the new GPS software that will be used when the ruggedized laptops come in. She is <br />excited about the customer service that will be available with this new equipment. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis said that he would wholeheartedly endorse not supporting the <br />re-licensure for the Shearon Harris plant. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis congratulated all newly elected County Commissioners who <br />won in the election. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis thanked Rod Visser for the update on the bike racks. He said <br />that the greatest opportunity for use of bicycles is within the heart of Hillsborough. He said that <br />this would be a great place to mandate bicycle racks. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis said that he was sad to hear about the death of Ed Bradley. <br />He said that it brought to mind a comment that we need to remember about the truly meaningful <br />