Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
• <br /> 3 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY CIVIL RIGHTS ORDINANCE SUMMARY <br /> Orange County is considering adoption of a civil rights ordinance which <br /> would provide for a local process of mediating, conciliating and <br /> enforcing laws prohibiting discrimination. The County is also seeking <br /> the support of Chapel Hill , Carrboro , and Hillsborough in considering <br /> adoption of the ordinance . The County will hold a public hearing on <br /> Tuesday, September 14 , 7 : 30 p.m. , at the new Orange County Superior <br /> Courthouse in Hillsborough. <br /> BACKGROUND <br /> The Board of County Commissioners established the Orange County Human <br /> Relations Commission in 1987 in order "to encourage mutual under- <br /> standing and fair treatment of all citizens and . . . encourage actions <br /> which reduce tensions among groups of citizens in Orange County. " <br /> The Human Relations Commission is composed of twenty-three members . The <br /> towns of Carrboro , Chapel Hill and Hillsborough are each allocated two <br /> seats , with the remaining seventeen considered at-large seats with <br /> representation sought from all townships . <br /> • <br /> Following a series of public hearings in 1989 , the Commission reported <br /> to the Board of Commissioners that state and federal laws and mechanisms <br /> to protect against discrimination do not adequately protect the rights <br /> of Orange County citizens . The Board then instructed the Commission to <br /> draft a civil rights ordinance that would achieve the goals stated by <br /> the Board when it created the Human Relations Commission. <br /> HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION ACTIVITIES <br /> The Human Relations Commission is committed to promoting understanding <br /> and good human relations among all Orange County citizens . Last fall , <br /> the Commission sponsored a diversity training workshop for local <br /> community leaders . This spring, the group co-sponsored a "Fair Housing <br /> and Lending Laws Forum" for the real estate and financial communities . <br /> The Human Relations Commission is currently seeking nominations for the <br /> annual Pauli Murray Human Relations Award. <br /> Regular Commission meetings are held the second Monday of each month. <br /> Meetings are open to the public and citizens are welcome to attend. <br /> ORDINANCE PURPOSE AND SCOPE <br /> The purpose of the Ordinance is "to promote the equal treatment of all <br /> individuals; to prohibit discrimination in Orange County based on race , <br /> color , religion, sex , national origin, age, disability, marital status , <br /> familial status , and veteran status; to protect residents ' lawful <br /> interests and their personal dignity. . . and to prevent public and <br /> domestic strife, crime, and unrest within Orange County" . It is the <br /> further purpose of the ordinance "to carry out in Orange County the <br /> policies provided for in various federal rules, regulations , and laws <br /> prohibiting discrimination in, among other areas , housing, employment, <br /> public accommodations . " <br /> 1 <br />