Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
2 <br /> a. Matters not on the Printed Agenda <br /> Riley Ruske said he has several hopes for the Board of County Commissioners <br /> (BOCC) this coming year: it would uphold its oath of office to support and maintain the <br /> constitution and laws of the United States and North Carolina; rescind all resolutions <br /> supporting illegal immigration as well as those that infringe on citizen freedoms; and to <br /> publicly discuss and vote on any public petitions. He closed his comments by reciting the <br /> Pledge of Allegiance, inviting the Board and staff to join him, many of whom did not do so <br /> the last time he recited the pledge at a meeting. <br /> Seamus O'Neill said he would like to ask the Board of County Commissioners to <br /> repeal the sales tax that was installed 10 years ago to support the light rail. He said this <br /> sales tax is one of the most regressive taxes and most strongly harms those that are least <br /> able to pay for it. <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 /> 3. Announcements, Petitions and Comments by Board Members <br /> Commissioner Dorosin said he attended the ABC Board meeting last week, and one of <br /> the issues being discussed is increasing the living wage. He said this board is currently paying <br /> the living wage, and it is now time for an increase and there is concern about compression. He <br /> said the last time it was done, the overall cost was around $100,000, including compression. <br /> He said the board is concerned that if it does the updated adjustment, it would want to include <br /> the compression costs again. He said the board asked him to take a proposal back to the <br /> Board of County Commissioners proposing that the amount the ABC Board contributes to the <br /> general fund be reduced by the same amount as the increase needed to cover the living wage <br /> increase. He said he would be in favor of discussing this compromise, given the BOCC's <br /> support of the living wage. <br /> Chair Rich said this topic can be added as an agenda item at a future meeting for further <br /> discussion. <br /> Commissioner Marcoplos said Durham County has stopped purchasing plastic water <br /> bottles with county funds, and he petitioned that Orange County do the same. <br /> Commissioner Greene referred to the green sheet at the Commissioners' places, and <br /> said the portrait in the County Courthouse of Thomas Ruffin has come down. She said Senior <br /> Superior Court Judge Fox made this request after having a conversation with former Public <br /> Defender James Williams. She said James Williams made this request as new information <br /> about Judge Ruffin has come to light regarding his personal life. She said the North Carolina <br /> Supreme Court is also considering removing a portrait of Judge Ruffin, which sits prominently <br /> behind the Chief Justice. She petitioned the Board to issue a statement informing the public <br /> about this decision and why it was made, which can be sent to Judge Fox and Chief Justice <br /> Cheri Beasley. She sent the following email to the BOCC: <br /> As a result of conversations that former public defender James Williams has had with Judge <br /> Fox—bringing forward new information—Judge Fox requested the removal of the portrait of <br /> Chief Justice Thomas Ruffin that had been hanging in the courtroom of the historic Orange <br /> County Courthouse. My understanding is that Travis has honored his request by seeing to the <br /> removal and placing the portrait in storage. <br /> This discussion arose in the context of a discussion currently happening at the N.C. Supreme <br /> Court level about the appropriateness of the placement of a large portrait of Judge Ruffin in the <br />