Agenda - 03-07-2019 8-a - Minutes

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7 1 Myra Dotson said she is here to address OWASA's role in greenhouse gas emissions, 2 and she has lived in the Orange Grove community, where OWASA has dumped sewage sludge 3 in her neighborhood for a long time. She said Orange County is the 5t" most sludge county in 4 the state, out of 100 counties. She said dumping sludge on land contaminates water, soil, food, 5 plants, wildlife, etc. She said many of the toxins are bio accumulated, meaning the quantity of 6 toxins add up. She said sludge gives off gases and dust, which is carried by the wind near and 7 far, and this is where sewage sludge and climate change intersect. She said it is hypocritical to 8 have OWASA play a role in climate change when it is contributing so greatly to pollution. She 9 said OWASA also has 2 uncovered industrial storage tanks off of highway 54 that hold millions 10 of gallons, which are also releasing untold amount of dangerous gases. She said the first gas 11 that sludge emits is mercury gas, which she and her neighbors have been routinely exposed to 12 for the past 40 years, not to mention the workers handling the sludge. She said many other 13 dangerous gases are also given off, and she has much scientific data to show these dangers. 14 Commissioner Dorosin said referred to the Rogers Road area, and requested an update 15 once the mains are in the ground and the process of what happens from April, with the mains 16 getting in the ground, up to actual homes being connected. 17 Chair Rich asked if this was a request for information, or a petition. 18 Commissioner Dorosin said this could be an information item to begin with. 19 Chair Rich said all governmental partners should be included as well. 20 Commissioner Dorosin said there was an ad hoc committee at one time. 21 Bonnie Hammersley said she would provide that information to the Board. 22 23 b. Resolution Supporting Local Control of School Calendars 24 The Board considered voting to approve a resolution expressing support for local 25 boards of education and the restoration of local control of school calendars. 26 27 BACKGROUND: 28 Until 2003, local boards of education in North Carolina established calendars for their 29 respective school years. In 2004 the North Carolina General Assembly seized control of 30 setting school calendars and imposed a one-size-fits-all mandate on how school calendars 31 are to be set. It was stated at the time that the goal was to provide uniformity across the 32 state as well as enhance North Carolina's tourism business. 33 34 The current one-size-fits-all school calendar start date is no earlier than the Monday closest 35 to August 26 and the end date is no later than the Friday closest to June 11. This means 36 high schools do not complete the first semester until mid to late January, and requires high 37 school students to take first semester exams after the winter break, which negatively 38 impacts test scores. 39 40 The parameters of the calendar also makes it nearly impossible for high school students or 41 recent winter graduates to take courses at a nearby community college or university during 42 the second semester, with the second semester for high schools starting two to three 43 weeks later than community colleges and universities. 44 45 The current calendar structure also results in longer summers, contributing to more 46 "summer learning loss" for students, which has a disproportionate impact on low-income 47 children, and negatively impact child nutrition, as low-income children who have access to 48 regular meals at school through the free and reduced priced meal program may not have 49 access to regular meals at home. 50