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