Orange County NC Website
19 <br /> 1 <br /> 2 Chair Dorosin said the reductions illustrated by the chart are even more significant in light of the <br /> 3 County's population growth, growth in the number of County employees, and increase in square <br /> 4 footage under the County's control. As they are telling this story they need to be able to overlay <br /> 5 that context onto these data. <br /> 6 <br /> 7 Commissioner Jacobs said it is clear that Orange County is doing a great job trying to address <br /> 8 environmental concerns in every way possible. But if they don't tell their loved ones that you <br /> 9 love them, then they can feel taken for granted. They don't discuss the environment anymore in <br /> 10 this community. They just assume that they are doing a great job. Since there is about to be the <br /> 11 largest impact on environmental standards than ever before, because of the new federal <br /> 12 administration, he would like to suggest that this Board form an environmental action committee. <br /> 13 While staff is great at doing this, the elected perspective is different and might open <br /> 14 opportunities for new ideas that staff are not able to suggest. It also will help us to communicate <br /> 15 about these issues to the public. <br /> 16 <br /> 17 Commissioner Dorosin agreed. <br /> 18 <br /> 19 In reply to a question from Chair Dorosin, Brenda Bartholomew, Human Resources Director, <br /> 20 said information was collected about a year ago and could be reported to the Board in <br /> 21 aggregate regarding the counties in which County employees live, how they are getting to work, <br /> 22 and over what distances they are commuting. <br /> 23 <br /> 24 Chair Dorosin said he would like to understand the infrastructure picture from a wider <br /> 25 perspective, such as whether water and sewer will be extended up Old 86 and where it is on <br /> 26 NC-54 and where it can go to, what is going to happen in the areas around the Economic <br /> 27 Development Districts and Perry Hill and Washington Street. Maybe they could have a work <br /> 28 session on infrastructure external to the County government. <br /> 29 <br /> 30 "Meeting in a Minute" <br /> 31 The group adjourned for lunch. When the group reconvened, Bonnie Hammersley presented a <br /> 32 short video: an example of a new communications tool produced by Todd McGee, the County's <br /> 33 Community Relations Director. It was a one-minute video encapsulation of a recent Board <br /> 34 meeting narrated by Chair Dorosin. The County webpage will post a similar "meeting in a <br /> 35 minute" video after each Board meeting. <br /> 36 <br /> 37 Infrastructure, continued <br /> 38 The group then continued talking about resilience and infrastructure. <br /> 39 <br /> 40 Commissioner Marcoplos said there is about 15-20 years worth of landfill space left in North <br /> 41 Carolina; costs can only go up. They will be on a more sustainable path if they treated their <br /> 42 waste like it was a resource. They need to site a transfer station in Orange County in order to <br /> 43 save fuel and money, reduce pollution, and make ourselves less beholden to the waste <br /> 44 management corporations. <br /> 45 <br /> 46 Chair Dorosin said the County's waste management issue—the discussion about controlling our <br /> 47 destiny -- is much broader than waste transfer; they are still taking their waste to some other <br /> 48 community. <br /> 49 <br /> 50 Commissioner Marcoplos agreed and said he has a proposed plan for a presentation at another <br /> 51 time. <br /> 19 <br />