Agenda - 03-21-2006-9a - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 IS 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 3.3 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 DRAFT ~a Commissioner Carey, wha proposed expanding the Board to seven members and having district elections. It was defeated by the Board 3-2. Nine years later, it came up again, this time in the Shaping Orange County's Future Task Force Report. This said that, for many rural residents who have spoken to the task force, the issue of district representation is the primary issue they feel needs to be addressed. The group recommended a very short-term task force appointed, which would consider expanding the seats of the County Commissioners and having the election of County Commissioners from districts.. Still, nothing happened and the County Commissioners did not give a voice to the rural or small town portion of the County. This past year, in January, 1,400 citizens of the County signed petitions asking that the Board consider district representation and expanding the County Commissioners. It was sent to staff to be investigated. He filed a bill in the General Assembly after about two months, trying to give the County residents that which the County Commissioners would not give them, He said that this was simply a chance to vote on the question of whether to expand the Board from five to seven and to have some of the County Commissioners elected from districts that would allow the rural and small town portion of the County to elect to the Board someone to represent them. He said that he has attended the public hearings regarding this issue and everyone who came to speak supported the proposition of electing people from districts.. He said that they would like for the County Commissioners to put on the ballot in November a referendum on the following question: Will they expand the County Commissioner Board from five to seven, with four of them elected from the Chapel HiII Township, with one elected from the Hillsborough/Eno Township/Efland precinct, one elected from the rest of the County, and one elected at-large? He said that Proposal 5 was a change without a difference and does absolutely nothing, He said that for 13 %2 years, residents of northern Orange County have been coming to the Board of County Commissioners saying they need a change and the ability to elect County Commissioners from districts. He asked the County Commissioners to revise their plan or else the citizens will have to go back to the General Assembly, He said that, for the fourth time in 14 years, they are seeking to have representation. Margaret Wood Cannel) represented the Hillsborough-Orange County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and it's Governmental Affairs Committee.. She said that the Board of Directors and Governmental Affairs Committee commends the Board of County Commissioners for their efforts to address the public's request for representation by district. They feel that the BOCC's response is a step in the right direction, The board and the committee are of the opinion that Proposal 5 does not ensure equal or adequate representation far all of the citizens of Orange County. Further, the board has concerns that afive-member Board, elected by all Orange County citizens and representing two districts, will not allow for enough diversity of representation. The Board of Directors encourages the Board of County Commissioners to further investigate the viability of Proposal 3, aseven-member Board representing three districts as the most effective method to ensure equal representation.. Bob Nutter is a dairy farmer and lives in Bingham Township. He said that the proposal does not meet the intent of the rural people that are asking for district representation. He wants to increase the County Commissioners to seven based on the population growth. Jean Earnhardt said that there is lack of representation for a significant number of people who live in the County. She is disappointed in Proposal 5 because she does not see how this can guarantee rural representation. She thinks that rural representation needs to be guaranteed, .Jamie Daniel lives in Cedar Grove and is a candidate for County Commissioner again this year. He said that Proposal 5 does not meet the needs of the people in northern Orange County, He said that there is a culture in our County to disregard the people of northern Orange County. He said that the thing that scares him is apathy.. He called 45 people from his community to go to school board meetings and there was apathy because the people felt that no one would listen to them, He said that the sub-culture does not divide them, but makes