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4 <br /> <br /> 1 <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS 2 <br /> 3 <br />Commissioner Rich asked if all BOA meetings will be recorded, or just the one on March 4 <br />12th. 5 <br />Chair Dorosin said that question would be resolved when the BOCC has the policy 6 <br />discussion, but recording the March 12th meeting is a show of good faith by the BOCC. 7 <br /> 8 <br />4. Proclamations/ Resolutions/ Special Presentations 9 <br /> 10 <br />a. Resolution Opposing a Change from Election of Judges 11 <br />The Board considered voting to approve a draft Resolution Opposing a Change from 12 <br />Election of Judges, and if approved, authorizing the Chair to sign. 13 <br /> 14 <br />BACKGROUND: 15 <br />At the January 23, 2018 Regular Board meeting, the Board requested that a resolution be 16 <br />prepared for the Board’s consideration expressing support for the current system of electing 17 <br />judges in North Carolina and opposing any change to that system. 18 <br /> 19 <br />Commissioner Price read the resolution: 20 <br />ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS 21 <br />RESOLUTION OPPOSING A CHANGE FROM ELECTION OF JUDGES 22 <br /> 23 <br />WHEREAS, the North Carolina State Constitution [Constitution] established three branches of 24 <br />government: Executive, Legislative and Judicial; and 25 <br /> 26 <br />WHEREAS, the Constitution also established the roles and responsibilities of each said branch 27 <br />of government, and how individuals seeking to serve in each branch is to be elected; and 28 <br /> 29 <br />WHEREAS, this delineation of separate branches is essential to the maintenance of a balance 30 <br />of powers that ensures the unfettered and effective function of our democratic form of 31 <br />government; and 32 <br /> 33 <br />WHEREAS, the North Carolina General Assembly currently is debating the merits of amending 34 <br />the Constitution so as to allow the appointment of judges rather than the historical and 35 <br />Constitutional method of electing judges by a vote of the people; and 36 <br /> 37 <br />WHEREAS, the Orange County Board of Commissioners [BOCC] believes that members of the 38 <br />judicial branch of government should continue to be elected by the voters, as opposed to being 39 <br />selected by members of the legislative branch or by some other process that may be 40 <br />established by the legislative branch; and 41 <br /> 42 <br />WHEREAS, the Orange County Board of Commissioners supports maintaining the current 43 <br />Judicial District System, and opposes division into sub-districts; and 44 <br /> 45 <br />WHEREAS, forcing judges to run for election on a frequent basis, such as every two years, has 46 <br />the potential of politicizing their decision-making, thus undermining the independence that is at 47 <br />the heart of a free and fair judiciary; and 48 <br /> 49