Agenda - 09-14-2006-3 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Introduction The residents of Orange County are the County's highest priority. Orange County's residents are growing increasingly diverse due to the influx of both immigrants and emigrants to the Triangle region. It is estimated that regional population growth will increase tenfold over the next decade.. Orange County's new immigrant populations bring important resources to the community including a ready and able labor force for different industries such as construction, restaurants, hotels, processing plants and the agricultural sector, In addition, a growing number are entering professional fields, including law enforcement, medicine, and education. Along with resources, changing communities bring challenges, One consequence of the growing community is an increased demand far services from the government, Delivery of these services may be difficult because of language and cultural barriers, Orange County is a leader in providing government services to under represented communities, including Limited English Proficiency (LEP) communities, Orange County's Immigrant Emergency Communications group received an award for its innovative work from the North Carolina Association of Counties, Orange County Commissioners have adopted a multilingual hiring policy and, just recently, Orange County hired the State's first LEP Coordinator for a county government body.. The County continues to work to alleviate and eliminate the barrier between government services and LEP communities, This report highlights the continuing efforts, accomplishments and challenges which county departments encounter as they seek to serve Orange County's diverse population, 4