Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
2 <br /> <br />Porch Song (2015 UNC-CH, 2016 NC Opera). Forthcoming—a children’s book The Droods 1 <br />(English artist Phil Cooper). Retired botanical librarian (2011 UNC-CH). Beam lives with his 2 <br />husband Stanley of 38 years in Hillsborough. 3 <br /> 4 <br />Jeffrey Beam read some of his poems. 5 <br /> 6 <br />2. Public Comments 7 <br /> 8 <br />a. Matters not on the Printed Agenda 9 <br />Phillip Nasseri, White Cross Fire Department Fire Chief, said he wanted to inform the 10 <br />Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) of a collaborative effort between all of the fire 11 <br />departments/law enforcement/Emergency Services to create a countywide training facility, and 12 <br />that this group has asked the federal government for a $330,000 grant for the initial facility of a 13 <br />structure. He said this group has secured the matching funds of 10%, based on the County’s 14 <br />population. He said land has been chosen for this facility, and this group may reach out in the 15 <br />future for assistance. He said his goal tonight is to make the Board of County Commissioners 16 <br />(BOCC) aware of this process, and it is a unique opportunity, the collaboration for which has 17 <br />never existed before. He said this building will allow all first responders to train in a more 18 <br />efficient and safe manner. He asked the BOCC if it would provide written support of the project. 19 <br />Commissioner Price asked if the support will be expressed as a united board, or as 20 <br />individual Commissioners. 21 <br />Chair Dorosin said as a united board. 22 <br />Tony Blake said he is the president of the White Cross Fire Department Board of 23 <br />Directors (BOD), and the community is in support of this project. He said it will be funded 24 <br />through the fire departments, and not from the Board of County Commissioners. He stressed 25 <br />the importance of this proposed joint training facility. 26 <br />Laura Streitfeld said she is with Preserve Rural Orange (PRO), and she sent an email 27 <br />request to all of the Board. She said PRO is concerned about many event centers that are 28 <br />being presented as barns; equitable information distribution; and transparency. She said PRO 29 <br />is asking the BOCC to look at the items that it can address. She said PRO would like the 30 <br />BOCC to help with the following: access to information from Board of Adjustment (BOA) 31 <br />meetings; ordinances being enforced consistently; appoint independent counsel to the BOA, to 32 <br />prevent dual roles by legal staff; appoint independent staff to coordinate all BOA 33 <br />communications; clarify public records, policies and procedures; post full record of public 34 <br />documents pertaining to each event center proactively, separately, and in a searchable format; 35 <br />and to clarify the rural special events in the unified development ordinance (UDO). She said 36 <br />she had requested information in an electronic format, in accordance with the law, but in the 37 <br />last two months she has only received paper copies. She asked if the BOCC would take action 38 <br />on all of PRO’s requested items, and if it would make sure BOA meetings are recorded. 39 <br /> 40 <br />b. Matters on the Printed Agenda 41 <br />(These matters will be considered when the Board addresses that item on the agenda 42 <br />below.) 43 <br /> 44 <br />3. Announcements, Petitions and Comments by Board 45 <br />Commissioner Burroughs had no comments. 46 <br />Commissioner McKee said the comments from Phillip Nasseri were reviewed at the Fire 47 <br />Chiefs Council last night, and this is a collaborative effort among volunteer fire departments, 48 <br />Emergency Services and law enforcement. 49