Orange County NC Website
3 <br /> <br />taxes in difficult times and for those funds to be spent wisely and morally on the people who live 1 <br />and work in this county, this community. 2 <br /> 3 <br />Our community wants to rally together. Public education is *the* issue to rally around. If we 4 <br />don't, we shouldn’t be surprised when (not if) the tipping point Commissioner Dorosin alluded to 5 <br />occurs. Trust us, we've been watching how the dollars have been spent in Chapel Hill as close 6 <br />as, or even more closely, than you. We as an Association have been and continue to be 7 <br />outspoken regarding these expenditures. The Chapel Hill-Carrboro community has pulled 8 <br />together in recent months to hold our district leaders accountable for reckless spending and 9 <br />devastating cuts to program funding. But if you don't fund our schools because you're worried 10 <br />about how the funds have been (or might be) spent, you’ll be compounding an already long 11 <br />existent problem. Do the right thing. Grant the funding for the benefits CHCCS wants to 12 <br />provide its educators and let the community hold them accountable for making sure it happens. 13 <br /> 14 <br />We are eager to discuss this further with members of the Board of County Commissioners and 15 <br />will reach out in the coming days. Please feel free, however, to get in touch sooner if you feel 16 <br />moved to do so. W e look forward to speaking with you soon. 17 <br /> 18 <br />b. Matters on the Printed Agenda 19 <br />(These matters will be considered when the Board addresses that item on the agenda 20 <br />below.) 21 <br /> 22 <br />3. Announcements, Petitions and Comments by Board Members 23 <br /> Commissioner Bedford said she attended a Department of Social Services (DSS) 24 <br />meeting yesterday, and approximately 400,000 meal equivalents have been served since this 25 <br />pandemic started. She said DSS is working hard, and is on track. She said she attended a 26 <br />Burlington Graham Metropolitan Planning Organization (BGMPO) meeting, and she got a 27 <br />motion passed unanimously to get the staff and technical group to work together to bring back 28 <br />options for geographic equity moving forward. 29 <br /> Commissioner McKee said at the work session last week, he jokingly asked the Board 30 <br />about joining him at the Whitted building for in person meetings. He petitioned for the BOCC 31 <br />and the public to meet at Whitted for the June 2nd meeting. He said the Board could meet on 32 <br />the floor, in front of the dais, 6 feet apart, with room for staff and public in the surrounding 33 <br />space. He offered this petition as long as it does not conflict with any orders from the 34 <br />Governor, and feels it would be a good way to take a safe step towards normalcy. 35 <br /> Commissioner Greene said she sent an email to the Board about the opioid litigation 36 <br />group. She encouraged everyone to wear masks. 37 <br /> Commissioner Marcoplos said he sent an email to the Board about the organizations to 38 <br />which the BOCC belongs. He said the annual dues total about $60,000 and he would like to 39 <br />discuss if this is a good use of funds. He said these organizations are: Triangle J, National 40 <br />Association of Counties (NACO), North Carolina Association of County Commissioner 41 <br />(NCACC), and the School of Government. 42 <br /> Commissioner Price said attended the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan 43 <br />Planning Organization (DCHC- MPO) meeting, and there was a transit update. She said Travis 44 <br />Myren sent an email out last week about that, and the comment period ends on May 22nd. 45 <br /> Commissioner Price said the 55th anniversary of the Voting Act will occur on August 6, 46 <br />and she petitioned for a resolution to honor this anniversary be presented at the first BOCC 47 <br />meeting in September. 48 <br /> Commissioner Dorosin said he attended the ABC board virtual meeting, and alcohol 49 <br />sales are up 10% from last year, and Orange County is currently ranked 12th in the state in 50