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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: April 12, 2005 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. ~-q <br />SUBJECT: Public Hearing: Agreement with Orange Enterprises <br />DEPARTMENT: Economic Development/ PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />Purchasing & Central Services <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />Agreement <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Dianne Reid, (919) 245-2325 <br />Pam Janes, (919) 245-2652 <br />TELEPHONE NUMBERS: <br />Hillsborough 732-8181 <br />Chapel Hill 968-4501 <br />Durham 688-7331 <br />Mebane 336-227-2031 <br />PURPOSE: To receive public comment regarding an agreement between Orange County and <br />Orange Enterprises which will provide Orange Enterprises (OE) building support and <br />operational support to enable OE to purchase property tripling the production capacity of OE <br />and increasing significantly employment opportunities far persons now served and persons who <br />can be served by OE; to approve an agreement between OE and Orange County with respect <br />to Orange County's financial support to OE and establishing economic development <br />expectations of the operations of OE at the new site; and to authorize the reallocation of capital <br />funds appropriated by the County to expand the current OE building to be used by OE toward <br />the purchase of the new facility, <br />BACKGROUND: OE is a private, non-profit organization whose mission is "to assist people <br />who face employment barriers to achieve vocational potential from the beginning of work until <br />retirement by offering services that allow individuals to attain the greatest level of vocational <br />success of which they are capable." This mission is accomplished in a variety of ways including <br />assisting persons to find competitive work in the community and providing contract work an site <br />that is utilized to teach vocational and personal skills. OE has operated in County-owned <br />buildings for decades, most recently moving to the Valley Forge Road site in the 1970's. OE <br />provides a valuable safety net for certain members of the community -workers, who without the <br />presence of OE, would perhaps be unemployable, QE's contribution to the quality of life for <br />such workers cannot be measured only in money. <br />In November 2004, OE presented a proposal requesting that Orange County authorize capital <br />funds for use in the purchase of a building and 10 acres on Elizabeth Brady Road. Orange <br />County had previously appropriated $525,000 in the 2004-2014 County Capital Investment Plan <br />to expand the County-owned building on Valley Forge Road for OE expansion, <br />