Orange County NC Website
8 <br /> Richard Pratt initiated discussion by recounting e - mail from Lee Rafalow, indicating the <br /> possibility of the Education Committee taking on the task of developing indicators for sprawl . <br /> Kris Price added that the education committee has brainstormed ideas about what their role <br /> should be , but have yet to reach a consensus . Pratt followed up by reminding the group that the <br /> function of the Education Committee should be commensurate with their resources . Reacting to <br /> Rafalow ' s e - mail , *Commissioner Gordon questioned the sensibility of such a task given prior <br /> CFE discussion ( see CFE meeting minutes of 9/ 14/ 98 ) about wanting to avoid duplicating the <br /> work of the SOCF sustainability indicators committee . Pratt stated that Rafalow ' s suggestion <br /> resulted from the need for the Education Committee to do something in the interim until their <br /> status is defined . Additionally , Pratt suggested that the Education Committee could look at the <br /> work that is going on in other jurisdictions , with reference to environmental education and share <br /> that with the new Environmental , Resource Conservation Department ( ERCD ) and possibly <br /> advise them as well on initiating any education activities . Gordon felt that the Education <br /> Committee could investigate alternative modes of transportation and educate the public about the <br /> new department . Chair Kohorn expressed that the Education Committee could counsel Orange <br /> County Government on the direction that county environmental policy should take . Pratt <br /> indicated that there are two differing types of education that the committee could engage in . <br /> First, the committee could inform the public of where they could dispose of their waste , <br /> minimize air quality pollution, etc . or second , gather data to document the state of the county ' s <br /> environment . He added that the latter could be formed into a newsletter . Kohorn indicated that <br /> documenting the county ' s environmental record is precisely the type of role she feels the <br /> education committee can and should take on . In response to Gordon ' s comment that the <br /> Education Committee could examine alternative transportation, Price indicated that she liked the <br /> idea and would appreciate further elaboration . Commissioner Gordon responded by reiterating <br /> the need for the county to develop a coordinated effort that examined alternative transportation . <br /> Additionally , Gordon felt that at least within the CFE this task may be best accomplished by the <br /> Air Quality Committee . The Commissioner then went on to emphasize the need for there to be a <br /> group that educates Orange County about what land is worth preserving . William Glaze indicated <br /> that , based on his reading of the September 14 CFE meeting minutes , he is not sure if the <br /> creation of the Education Committee indicates a desire on the part of the CFE to abandon <br /> developing indicators . Pratt responded to Glaze ' s concern by recounting that the creation of the <br /> Education Committee was a response to the concerns expressed by the Indicators Committee that <br /> their work was paralleling and possibly duplicating the work of the SOCF Sustainability <br /> Indicators Committee . <br /> William Glaze then brought up the point that SOCF will have completed their work within nine <br /> months . Price added that following the SOCF work there will exist a need for the indicators to be <br /> translated into policies and programs . To this Glaze remarked that he felt the ERCD will have the <br /> technical resources for policy formation . Pratt reminded the Commission that the Education <br /> Committee still valued education and would like to coordinate their activities with SOCF . <br /> Gordon surmised that this indicated a possible need for both an Indicators and Education <br /> Committee , one of which could be formed with new membership . Kohorn questioned if the <br /> creation of a liaison position with SOCF was warranted . David Stancil indicated that following <br /> the completion of the work of SOCF consultant Kit McGinnis , the Sustainability Indicators kv <br /> Committee will reconvene ; at this juncture CFE members will have the opportunity to take part <br />