Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
5 <br /> 1 Scottie Seawell said there is also recognition from the community of all of the work that <br /> 2 has already been done to support public education. <br /> 3 Commissioner Jacobs referred to appendix B, regarding choices in addition to college <br /> 4 and the need for more people to work with their hands. He recently talked to an appliance <br /> 5 repairman who said it is difficult to find young people interested in apprenticeship programs in <br /> 6 the field of appliance repair and related areas. He asked if there are any active apprenticeship <br /> 7 programs or a contact person for that. <br /> 8 Scottie said the idea of apprenticeships and alternatives was a broadly agreed upon <br /> 9 issue with the stakeholders. She referenced the woodworking program at Cedar Ridge and the <br /> 10 amazing work that is being done there. She referred the question about apprenticeship <br /> 11 programs to Del Burns. <br /> 12 Del Burns said there are limited opportunities for apprenticeships through the career and <br /> 13 technical education programs at this time. He said the hands-on work ethic is a tradition in <br /> 14 Orange County, and there was a discussion of the need for alternatives for students. He said <br /> 15 the schools are not taking full advantage of apprenticeships, and this is on the radar. <br /> 16 <br /> 17 b. Resolution Acknowledging February 24, 2015 as Spay Neuter Day in Orange <br /> 18 County, North Carolina <br /> 19 The Board considered adopting the proposed resolution acknowledging February 24, <br /> 20 2015 as Spay Neuter Day in Orange County, North Carolina and authorizing the Chair to sign <br /> 21 the resolution. <br /> 22 Bob Marotto expressed appreciation to the Board for putting this item on the agenda <br /> 23 retroactively, due to inclement weather. He said spay/neutering is a community issue, and he <br /> 24 thanked the Board of County Commissioners for their support over their years. The <br /> 25 Commissioners were presented with spay/neuter support t-shirts. <br /> 26 He noted some of Animal Service's 2014 accomplishments. He said the program <br /> 27 sterilized 433 cats and dogs that belong to low income residents, and 289 of these animals <br /> 28 belonged to clients of the Department of Social Services (DSS.) He said the outcomes of this <br /> 29 effort are measured in the decline of admissions to their facility and the fact that the number of <br /> 30 animals being euthanized is at a historically low level. <br /> 31 <br /> 32 Michelle Walker read the following resolution: <br /> 33 <br /> 34 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS <br /> 35 SPAY NEUTER DAY RESOLUTION <br /> 36 <br /> 37 WHEREAS, cats and dogs provide companionship to and share the homes of thousands of <br /> 38 individuals in Orange County; and <br /> 39 <br /> 40 WHEREAS, the problem of pet overpopulation costs the taxpayers of Orange County hundreds <br /> 41 of thousands of dollars annually through animal control and sheltering programs aimed at <br /> 42 coping with unwanted and homeless cats and dogs; and <br /> 43 <br /> 44 WHEREAS, humane societies and shelters throughout the country have to euthanize <br /> 45 approximately four million cats and dogs each year, although many of them are healthy and <br /> 46 adoptable, due to the lack of critical resources such as money, space, and good adoptive <br /> 47 homes; and <br /> 48 <br /> 49 WHEREAS, the Animal Services Advisory Board and the Animal Services Department have <br /> 50 made correcting pet overpopulation a priority, and prepared Managing Pet Overpopulation: A <br />