Orange County NC Website
4 <br /> <br />Deborah Stroman said the HRC talked about inviting residents to speak at HRC 1 <br />meetings, but there are issues with timing. She said this idea is still being explored. 2 <br />Commissioner McKee said he would like staff to work with the HRC to move this flag 3 <br />conversation forward. 4 <br />Chair Dorosin said the HRC report indicates that the HRC does not currently have 5 <br />partnerships with other advisory boards and commissions, but members are interested in 6 <br />collaboration in 2018 and going forward, particularly co-sponsoring annual events. He said the 7 <br />HRC can work with the Manager to make this happen. 8 <br />Chair Dorosin said the HRC is one of the biggest advisory boards, and asked if its size 9 <br />is appropriate. 10 <br />Deborah Stroman said the board is too big, and she believes in a smaller board with 11 <br />sub-committees. 12 <br />Chair Dorosin said the Manager’s proposed budget has funding for staff to attend racial 13 <br />equity training, and he would like to see if HRC members could also be a part of this. 14 <br /> 15 <br />• Chapel Hill - Orange County Visitors Bureau An thony Carey, Chair 16 <br /> 17 <br />Anthony Carey said he has worked and lived in Orange County his entire of his life. He 18 <br />said the Bureau appreciates the Board’s support. He said the Visitor’s Bureau (VB) has 1700+ 19 <br />rooms for sale in Orange County, with need for more in Hillsborough, but the VB is concerned 20 <br />about paying attention to proper growth. He said the University of North Carolina (UNC), UNC 21 <br />HealthCare, and the UNC sororities and fraternities are doing great things for the VB, but there 22 <br />is a need for business demand generators in Orange County, such as a multicultural center, to 23 <br />drive weekday and weekend business. He said the VB is also dealing with Airbnb, which has 24 <br />over 380 rooms in Orange County. He said he is concerned about this, and the VB is gathering 25 <br />best practices as how best to deal with Airbnb, including the collection of taxes. He said of 26 <br />great concern with Airbnb is the lack of health regulations, as well as training for lodging 27 <br />operators. He said the VB would like to create partnerships with the Airbnb properties in the 28 <br />County. 29 <br />Anthony Carey said the VB continues to look into creative promotional scope. He said 30 <br />there are many great events in Orange County, and the VB helps to promote these. He said 31 <br />the VB gives back to the SECU home, and as a Hotelier, he lets his rooms out at a reduced 32 <br />rate whenever possible for health care needs. 33 <br />Commissioner Jacobs commended the idea of sitting down with the Airbnb, instead of 34 <br />seeing it as an adversary. 35 <br />Chair Dorosin referred to the VB report, concern #2, which states: “Orange County 36 <br />hospitality leaders fear Triangle area having too much hotel supply, especially in Orange 37 <br />County where two main demand generators include: UNC and UNC Healthcare”. He asked if 38 <br />this point could be clarified. 39 <br /> Anthony Carey said there is a need for more hotels in Hillsborough, while Chapel Hill is 40 <br />saturated, and Carrboro is getting ready to build another one. He said new demand generators 41 <br />are needed. 42 <br />Laurie Paolicelli, VB Executive Director, said she is not sure if the VB will take a strong 43 <br />position on too many hotels, but the concern of the existing supply is try to avoid cannibalism of 44 <br />existing services. She said there is a need to develop new products for visitors, such as sports 45 <br />fields, cultural center, and open space. 46 <br /> 47 <br />• Commission for the Environment Bradley Saul, Chair 48 <br />Bradley Saul highlighted some activities: 49 <br /> 50