Orange County NC Website
30 <br /> <br />The Clerk said this process was approved previously, but there is merit in having further <br />discussion. <br />Commissioner Dorosin said the Board honored the process it established last year, and <br />he would argue against any one Commissioner becoming “an expert” on a particular <br />board/commission, or the notion that one Commissioner may be better suited to serving a <br />particular board than another. <br /> <br />7. Reports <br />NONE <br /> <br />8. Consent Agenda <br />• Removal of Any Items from Consent Agenda <br />Commissioner Greene: 8-d <br /> <br />• Approval of Remaining Consent Agenda <br /> <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Greene, seconded by Commissioner Bedford to <br />approve the remaining items on the Consent Agenda. <br /> <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br />• Discussion and Approval of the Items Removed from the Consent Agenda <br /> <br />8-d Resolution of Approval – Adopt Best Management Practices for Roadsides and <br />Utility Rights-of-Way that Benefit Pollinators and Native Plants in Orange County, NC <br />The Board considered voting to approve a resolution to implement voluntary roadside <br />and utility rights-of-way best management practices that will increase the visibility, enjoyment, <br />and conservation of pollinators and native plants along the roadways and utility rights-of-way in <br />Orange County and authorize the Chair to sign. <br /> <br />Commissioner Greene read the item, and said this has been a discussion that has gone <br />on for a long time. She invited Johnny Randall to come forward. <br />Johnny Randall, Botanical Gardens, said he has had great interest in this topic for a long <br />time, and Orange County is taking a leadership role in the right-of-ways (ROWs). He said he <br />hopes this will be a model that the rest of the State can follow. <br />Commissioner Price thanked Johnny Randall for sticking with this over the years. <br />Commissioner Marcoplos asked if it is difficult to work with the utility companies on this. <br />Johnny Randall said yes it is. He said the Department of Transportation (DOT) does the <br />mowing, but the power lines are adjacent to the roadside. He said he looks forward to having <br />more discussions with the utility companies to create a solution that is economical and mutually <br />beneficial. <br />Commissioner Marcoplos said a resident recently contacted him about the Duke Energy <br />sprayers on the edge of her farm, expressing concern. <br />Johnny Randall said the utility companies contract much of the work out, and the utility <br />companies may not have as much control as suspected. <br />Commissioner Price said one used to be able to contact utility companies and request <br />that pesticides not be used on one’s private property, but this may no longer be true. <br />Johnny Randall said he thinks this is still true, but the landowner would be responsible <br />for controlling the woody vegetation that interferes with the utilities. <br /> <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Greene, seconded by Commissioner McKee to <br />approve a resolution to implement voluntary roadside and utility right-of-way best management