Agenda 10-01-19 Item 8-a - Minutes

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5 1 Chair Rich said all comments and petitions will be taken under advisement, and the 2 Board will have a work session on September 10 to discuss the issue. She said there is 3 currently no proposed ordinance, and there may not be one at all. 4 Commissioner Greene said the Board must dispel any rumors about a closed meeting. 5 Chair Rich said the Board never had a closed meeting on this issue, and just because 6 something is on social media does not make it fact. She said the BOCC cannot have 7 discussions about ordinances in closed session. 8 John Roberts said that is correct, and North Carolina law limits closed sessions to issues 9 of personnel, economic development, etc. He said there is no lawful way to have a closed 10 session about any ordinance. 11 12 b. Matters on the Printed Agenda 13 (These matters will be considered when the Board addresses that item on the agenda 14 below.) 15 16 3. Announcements, Petitions and Comments by Board Members 17 Commissioner Bedford said the North Carolina Department of Health and Human 18 Services (NCHHS) announced that Orange County's Medicaid changes will be delayed from 19 November 1 to February 2020, due to the lack of an approved state budget. She said all 100 20 counties will start in February. She said open enrollment will be extended, and the public can 21 meet with consultants to determine a provider. She said until that time, the public can continue 22 seeing their current provider. 23 Commissioner McKee said he realized that there is confusion and concern about the 24 noise ordinance issue, and what is going to happen at the work session on September 10t". He 25 said nothing was on tonight's agenda, and the County Attorney will do a presentation at the 26 upcoming work session. He petitioned that the rule of no public comment at a work session be 27 suspended for the September 10t" meeting, so that after the Attorney's presentation and/or 28 before any decision and discussion, the public be able to provide comment. He said this 29 should hopefully squash any suspicions of lack of transparency on the part of the BOCC. He 30 said he would also like to petition that a formal public hearing be held 2 weeks prior to any 31 decisions being made on any firearms regulations. 32 Chair Rich said the County did put a statement on the website about this issue last 33 week. 34 Chair Rich referred to the possibility of public comment at a work session, and asked the 35 County Attorney to weigh in. 36 John Roberts said the lack of comment at work sessions is a Board rule, which the 37 Board can suspend at any time. He said he would not recommend this, as a huge crowd will 38 show up for reasons that are not going to be discussed. He said this is not a decision item at 39 this time, and having a public hearing on it is fine to do, and likely wise to do, before any 40 decisions are made. He said the Board asked him the question of whether the Board can 41 regulate the discharge of firearms in high-density, residential areas, and he will provide a report 42 at the work session. He said he will show a map that is an example, and shows 10 housing 43 units per 10-acre grid parcel. He said there are 100's of grid parcels. He said should the Board 44 pursue this change, the example would only apply near the towns, and in a few donut holes 45 west of Chapel Hill. He said this would not affect northern Orange County at all, and would 46 mostly not affect southwestern Orange County either. 47 John Roberts said having public comment at a work session is preliminary, but a public 48 hearing later, if the Board of County Commissioners decides to go forward, would be good. 49 Bonnie Hammersley echoed John Roberts' comments, and the Board should clearly 50 publicize meetings.