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2 <br /> Dee Stribling thanked the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) for its service to <br /> the community, then read three short poems: "Little Girl Morning" about a very young <br /> person; "Old Will" about an older person; and "Words" to remember both. <br /> Chair Rich introduced Bonnie Hammersley, who introduced Todd McGee, to introduce <br /> the graduating class of the County Government Academy. <br /> Todd McGee, Community Relations Director, said this is the second graduating <br /> class and they have toured facilities, heard presentations from the different county <br /> departments, and participated in budget exercises. He then recognized the members of the <br /> class. <br /> 2. Public Comments <br /> a. Matters not on the Printed Agenda <br /> Larry Shirley read the following statement: <br /> • Resident of Carrboro <br /> • Chairman, Interstate Renewable Energy Council <br /> • Former Director, NC State Energy Office <br /> • Former Founding Director, NC Clean Energy Technology Center <br /> Madam Chair and Members of the Commission, <br /> My name is Larry Shirley and I reside in Carrboro, my family's home for the last 14 <br /> years. I serve as the Chairman of the Interstate Renewable Energy Council, a national nonprofit <br /> working to advance clean energy in states across the U.S., including North Carolina. I am the <br /> former Founding Executive Director of the NC Clean Energy Technology Center, the former <br /> Director of the NC State Energy Office, and the former Director of the Green Economy for NC. I <br /> have spent the entirety of my 40-year career working to ensure a sustainable energy future. <br /> The proposal before you to increase the property tax by one-quarter of a percent to <br /> provide additional funding for addressing climate change in our county is one of the most <br /> significant long-term climate measures that I have seen before local government bodies in NC. <br /> I applaud Commissioner Marcoplos for proposing this measure and wholeheartedly endorse it. <br /> It has the potential, although modest in taxpayer impact, of placing Orange County on the map <br /> as the leader in North Carolina in placing a dedicated revenue source behind the <br /> implementation of its plans to greatly reduce carbon emissions and increase the contribution of <br /> renewable energy. <br /> Many communities and counties across the U.S. have set goals for carbon reductions <br /> and renewable energy contributions. However, in the South, I am not aware of any counties to <br /> yet allocate a dedicated part of their tax base to putting real dollars behind those goals. Many <br /> appear to be set for political expedience with little intention of getting serious in actually <br /> addressing the many opportunities in energy efficiency and renewable energy that exist before <br /> them. With enactment of this measure into the 2019-2020 budget, Orange County has the <br /> unique opportunity to demonstrate the will—the political spine, to be more direct—that will be <br /> needed to put your goals into action. <br /> I have reviewed the possible measures that have been compiled as examples of how <br /> this funding could be used to produce real, tangible results in carbon reductions through energy <br /> efficiency and renewable energy generation. I have managed many similar programs to those <br /> outlined in my previous state positions and can attest to the fact that they are sound and highly <br /> doable. Many of them will yield economic savings to the county budget and reductions in utility <br /> costs that will more than return the taxpayer investment over time. <br />