Minutes - 20080306 - Laserfiche WebLink

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second recommendation would be to provide written notice to property owners living next to fields getting sprayed with sludge. She asked that the Orange County Board of Commissioners consider submitting its own recommendations at this hearing. She presented her materials along with a map of the areas receiving sludge from the City of Burlington. Chair Jacobs said that he would try and get a copy of Chatham County's resolution. Geof Gledhill pointed out that the State will not let counties regulate biosolids. The County is preempted from doing this. It is a matter of convincing the State to change these regulations or to allow counties to regulate it. Susan Dayton agreed. Commissioner Gordon asked when the hearing was and Susan Dayton said that there is not a specific date yet. It will be at the end of April. One of the problems with the permitting process itself is that the City of Burlington has been operating on a permit that has been out of date for four years. Commissioner Gordon asked Susan Dayton to distribute her information to David Stancil of Environment and Resource Conservation as well as the Commission for the Environment. Charlene Lee said that she lives, works, and votes in Orange County. She has been mentally ill since she was a small child. Her father and grandfather both committed suicide, and she does not want to see anyone else die from suicide because of mental health issues. She said that she is a "consumer" of mental health services and she feels like sludge right now, and the State is treating her like she has no meaning. She has had a job for 18 months, and her employer hired her knowing that she has mental health issues. She is very grateful. She is high functioning and she went out and found another doctor. She said that she is a survivor but there are 1,500+ people in this County who are suffering because of the closing of the CFN center. She asked the County Commissioners to do whatever they can do to help this situation. Steve Peck is a member of the RPAC and he said that this committee was universal in their disappointment with the ending of their summer camps. He urged the County Commissioners to reinstate funding. He said that this program does not cost the County a lot of money, but it benefits many children. Commissioner Foushee arrived at 8:10 pm.. Karen Dunn is the Director of Club Nova and she is extremely concerned that the Governor is going to ask the General Assembly to give back more power to the Secretary of DHHS. She has read that the Secretary of DHHS would appoint the local LME boards. She said that she could foresee this and there is almost no safety net here. She said that they are stretched to their limit as a staff but the consumers are even more so. She said that she would not like to have to keep coming back to the County for funds. Chair Jacobs said that the County has tried to step up and the County Commissioners do not want to see people left behind, and they will try and be more creative. Karen Dunn said that one solution is for the General Assembly to enact legislation that guarantees that people living with mental illness and other disabilities have a basic human right to rehabilitation and psychiatric services that they need and deserve. She said that civil rights are being grossly violated in this State. Commissioner Carey said that even more frightening is that the Governor is asking for the State to have the authority to appoint private providers, specific providers of services, and cut the local LMEs out of the process. This is disturbing. b. Matters on the Printed Agenda (These matters were considered when the Board addressed that item on the agenda below.) 3. Proclamations/ Resolutions/ Special Presentations