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<br />ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: June 16, 2020 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 8-n <br /> <br />SUBJECT: Endorsement of Letter to Governor Roy Cooper from Orange County Climate <br />Council <br /> <br />DEPARTMENT: Asset Management Services <br /> <br /> <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />Proposed Letter Regarding <br />Recommendations to Support Local <br />Governments During the Pandemic <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Brennan Bouma, (919) 245-2626 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />PURPOSE: To authorize the Chair to sign the attached letter from the Orange County Climate <br />Council as an additional endorsement and send the letter to Governor Roy Cooper. <br /> <br />BACKGROUND: In its May 28, 2020 meeting, the Orange County Climate Council reviewed a <br />draft letter to Governor Cooper that makes a case for linking COVID-19 relief funding to broader <br />improvements to public health and resilience. The letter had been drafted by the Council’s own <br />Policy Committee. After the discussion, the Council voted to approve the letter with a few <br />suggested edits and send the final version (attached) to the four Orange County local <br />government elected boards to ask for their endorsement before sending the letter to the <br />Governor. <br /> <br />The Council’s action was made with the understanding that time remaining during this fiscal <br />year is short, and that not all local governments might get the chance to review the letter and <br />consider endorsing it. The Council decided that time was of the essence to send the letter to <br />assist in framing the economic recovery around both short-term and longer-term interests, and <br />that the support of the local governments who are members of the Council was essential. <br /> <br />FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no direct financial impact associated with signing and sending <br />this letter. The letter supports the idea that the state can help local government economic <br />recovery efforts from the COVID-19 pandemic, and that this support will have the greatest <br />impact if it addresses immediate budgetary needs, supports local jobs, reduces expenses for <br />governments or citizens, and improves the quality of life. <br /> <br />SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: There is no Orange County Social Justice Goal impact associated <br />with signing and sending this letter. The letter supports a way for the state to help local <br />governments continue to protect, educate, and support our residents and to frame its relief <br />programs in such a way that they will do the most good for the people most in need. <br /> <br />1