Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
8 <br /> <br /> 1 <br />DSS has also assisted with some extremely difficult situations this year and those cases have 2 <br />been more costly. Often these included serious safety issues for a child, a senior or a person 3 <br />with a disability. Extreme weather also contributed to higher needs as DSS tried to assure that 4 <br />all families were safe during the recent cold temperatures. 5 <br />Based on current spending trends, DSS will need approximately $125,000 in additional funds to 6 <br />meet the need for the remainder of the fiscal year and is requesting this amount from the 7 <br />existing Social Justice Fund. 8 <br /> 9 <br />Nancy Coston, Department of Social Services (DSS) Director, said this year DSS has 10 <br />had a difficult time staying within its budget, due to demands for emergencies, with rising 11 <br />housing costs being a large issue. She said DSS is requesting the use social justice funds to 12 <br />offset some of these emergency costs. 13 <br />Commissioner Jacobs referred to the revised information on the blue sheet in the 14 <br />Commissioners’ packet, and said this has been a long-standing commitment of Orange County. 15 <br />He said this type of need is the intended purpose of the social justice fund. 16 <br />Nancy Coston said DSS always seeks to use federal funds first, but sometimes those 17 <br />funds do not cover the needs. 18 <br />Chair Dorosin asked if this as more of an anomalous situation, or if this is a trend of 19 <br />higher level of expenses. 20 <br />Nancy Coston said it is both, and there have truly been some extenuating situations this 21 <br />year. She said expenses vary from year to year, but she does not anticipate these costs going 22 <br />down. 23 <br /> 24 <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Price, seconded by Commissioner Burroughs to 25 <br />approve the allocation of $125,000 from the Social Justice Fund to the Department of Social 26 <br />Services to address the continuing need for emergency assistance. 27 <br /> 28 <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS 29 <br /> 30 <br />b. Framework for the First Annual Orange County Local Festival 31 <br />The Board considered voting to establish a financial and programming framework for 32 <br />Orange County’s First Annual Local Festival. 33 <br /> 34 <br />BACKGROUND: 35 <br />The FY2017-18 Budget authorized up to $15,000 in Article 46 sales tax proceeds to begin 36 <br />planning for an Orange County Local Fest. The County conducted a request for proposal 37 <br />process and retained Evan Hatch as the Event Planner. Mr. Hatch has fifteen years of 38 <br />experience in folk arts and cultural programming, which includes experience in event planning 39 <br />and festival production. Mr. Hatch has been working with a group of Orange County 40 <br />departments to create a financial and programming framework for Local Fest. 41 <br /> 42 <br />Orange County Local Fest is intended to be a local, grassroots festival that celebrates and 43 <br />promotes Orange County’s commitment to its heritage, diversity, culture, sustainable living and 44 <br />agriculture. The event is proposed to be held at the Blackwood Farm Park on Saturday, 45 <br />September 29, 2018. 46 <br /> 47 <br />Revenue generated by the event is proposed to support the Breeze Farm Incubator. The 48 <br />Breeze Farm provides a place for individuals who are interested in learning to farm, but may not 49 <br />have access to the land or equipment required to start a farming business. The Breeze Farm 50