Agenda 03-21-2017 - 8-a - Minutes

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4 1 2163. I appreciate your consideration of this request. 2 Attachment 3 cc (via email): Wayne Hadler, Esquire 4 John Roberts, Esquire 5 Philip Post, PE, PLE 6 Bonnie Hammersley, Orange County Manager 7 Craig Benedict, Orange County Planning Director 8 Perdita Holtz, Orange County Planner III 9 10 Commissioner Jacobs arrived at 7:07 p.m. 11 12 A.P. Segar echoed Mr. Hadler's comments. She said the family has been 13 pursuing a viable redevelopment for close to a decade. 14 Philip Post said he has been the engineer for this project since 2011. He asked if 15 staff would look into their project, as he finds it deserving of the same relief that was given 16 to the Northwoods-Raven project. He said the project was value engineered in the fall of 17 2016, with several costs being removed. He said the increase in the impact fees would 18 be highly detrimental. He said it was his fault that the project did not come before the 19 Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) prior to Christmas 2016. 20 Latandra Strong spoke on behalf of Hate Free Schools Coalition. Her children are 21 in the Orange County Schools (OCS), and in the fall of 2015 she informed the Board of 22 Education (BOE) about the confederate flag being shown on students' clothing. She said 23 the BOE, school administrators and attorneys informed her that the students were within 24 their rights to wear the flag. She said she and others had gone to the BOE and staff 25 several times, and at the last BOE meeting they were locked out of the building when they 26 wanted to speak in front of the BOE. She said there are serious racial concerns that must 27 be addressed. 28 Emily Elstad said she is a member of this coalition as well, and her child attends 29 OCS. She said prior to March 2016, there was language in the OCS dress code policy, 30 which prohibited racially divisive symbols on school property. She said the OCS BOE 31 removed this clause from the dress code policy in March 2016. She said she wanted to 32 share her experience at the February 13, 2017 BOE meeting, and felt her rights were 33 violated. She said the BOE was in violation of the open meetings law. 34 Chair Dorosin said to refer to staff for additional information on these items. 35 36 b. Matters on the Printed Agenda 37 (These matters will be considered when the Board addresses that item on the agenda 38 below.) 39 40 3. Announcements and Petitions by Board Members 41 Commissioner Marcoplos had no announcements or petitions. 42 Commissioner Jacobs requested that the Board of County Commissioners get key cards 43 for the back hallway at Southern Human Services Center. 44 Commissioner Rich had no announcements or petitions. 45 Commissioner Price said Rich Wooten at Cardinal Innovations has asked if OPC 46 members would consider merging with Alamance and Caswell counties. She said his service 47 areas do cover all these counties. 48 Commissioner Burroughs had no petitions or announcements. 49 Chair Dorosin said any texts that the Commissioners receive during meetings are public 50 records, and everything done in meetings should be open and transparent, keeping all 51 conversations out front and engaged.