Agenda - 09-01-20; 8-a - Minutes

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9 1 continue in excessive spending with exorbitant taxes. He asked if this will simply continue, or 2 will the taxpayer have to revolt. 3 Brian Link said he a Social Studies teacher and the Social Justice Academy Director at 4 East Chapel Hill High School, and is also the Vice President of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro 5 Association of Educators. He said he hopes the BOCC can help fund the schools. He said the 6 nation is facing two pandemics: Covid-19 and racism. He said the BOCC has to choose how to 7 direct funding, and he hopes it will do so in ways that promote equity and justice throughout. 8 Roshna Bala Keen said she is a civil rights attorney, and she has some questions about 9 shifting funds from the Chapel Hill Library to a Covid Education fund. She said it is very 10 important that everyone have access to the library, as it is a great equalizer. She said the 11 library is an essential part of the community, and she has great concern about shifting the funds 12 from the library to another purpose. She encouraged the BOCC to please find alternative 13 funding sources. 14 Former Commissioner Barry Jacobs sent the following email, which Chair Rich read: 15 For 20 years, the Lands Legacy Program has been the backbone of Orange County's 16 efforts to actively conserve open space and natural areas. The program has been key to our 17 watershed protection efforts and to the farmland preservation that undergirds our bountiful local 18 agricultural economy. 19 By providing a reliable, ongoing source of funds, Lands Legacy and associated 20 conservation projects enable the county to amplify the impact of its contributions, attracting 21 millions of dollars in matches from federal, state, regional and private partners. And, like the 22 Social Justice Fund, dependability and flexibility are advanced by having a designated pool of 23 money. 24 Lands Legacy is a recognized model for other counties, a source of pride for many 25 Orange residents, and an affirmation of our environmental values. Doing away with, or limiting, 26 the program without extensive forethought and public discussion would be highly regrettable. 27 Please have the chair read this aloud at the hearing. 28 29 Chair Rich read the following letter, which was translated from Spanish: 30 Atte: Beatriz Ponce 31 Padres de Cameron park 32 919 730-4867 33 Vazguezbeatriz17(@yahoo.com 34 35 1 am the mother of Angel (3rd Grade) and Ana (1st grade)from Cameron Park School. The 36 reason for this letter is to let you know that as parents, neighbors and more parents from 37 different schools in Orange County, we are very concerned about the upcoming decisions you 38 could make that would affect us too much as part of the span ish-speaking community. We want 39 to be present and participate more in our children's schools, we would like more interpreters in 40 schools, on school boards, at events, and in our children's classes. Just thinking that you want 41 to remove Spanish classes, the only thing that makes us feel welcome and makes us feel at 42 home. S PANISH is more than just a language, it is culture and it is a universal communication. 43 Spanish is too valuable which allows a person to be bilingual and it is the opportunity of many 44 great things in spiritual, professional and educational life. That is why children from a young 45 age are taught both languages so that when they grow up, already in universities, they are 46 prepared. Medical studies have confirmed how important it is for them to learn a second 47 language from a young age and that will last them throughout their lives. A child who starts 48 speaking another language is very interesting because they do not lose their accents. An adult 49 who seeks to speak a second language, it becomes more difficult to memorize and the 50 pronunciation is difficult. For young children, however, it is pretty easy for them to capture all 51 that and more. My request today is DO NOT REMOVE SPANISH CLASSES IN ORANGE