Minutes 06-16-2020 Virtual Business Meeting

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27 Commissioner Marcoplos said the Board should step up and take the responsibility given to it, since so many resident are asking questions. He said the forum should be straightforward, and the Board needs to listen to its residents. Commissioner Price said she will abstain from voting on this. She said she recognizes that the intention is good, but she has issues with it. She said a resolution has never before been needed to have a community meeting. She said this is supposed to be about racial equity and justice, and it bothers her to have the Sheriff as an equal partner, but not Annette Moore, Human Rights and Relations Director. She said no person of color is involved in the planning of this forum. She said she agreed with the intent, but she has issues with the process. Commissioner Greene said she is in favor of this forum and has no issues with the resolution. She agreed with Commissioner Dorosin that the Board should be on record that it is having this conversation. She said she does not understand the bickering, and the Board should just move forward. She said Commissioner Price cannot abstain unless there is a real conflict on interest. Commissioner Dorosin said to Commissioner Price that nothing has yet been planned. He said all the Orange County Board of Commissioners will be involved in the planning and the execution of this forum, and the topic has simply been brought up for discussion. He said if the majority of the Board votes to have a forum, then planning can begin. Commissioner Price said she was not trying to bicker, and she recognizes the good intent behind the actions. She said she has a problem with the fact that Commissioner Marcoplos, Commissioner Dorosin, and the Sheriff were putting this idea forward, as they are three white men. She said it would have been more respectful to have some diverse partners to be a part of this. Commissioner Dorosin said this is an idea, and nothing is planned. He said this has been presented as an idea for the Board to decide upon. He said he likes to have discussions publicly and provide total transparency. PUBLIC COMMENT: Sonia D said it is important that the planning should involve those most impacted, and she hoped that not only recommendations out of the forum, but real concrete commitment. Commissioner McKee said he has the same concerns as Commissioner Price, and this could have been a petition. He speculated that the Sheriff had no part in formulating this resolution, and likely neither did Commissioner Price or the HRC. He said there was probably also no input from the people of color in the community. He said he has never seen a resolution come forward like this before, but rather it has always been done using the petition process. He said he feels conversation is important, and he will support the forum. He said if conversations had started years ago, the situation might not be what it is today. Commissioner McKee said Commissioner Dorosin and Commissioner Marcoplos did not think in advance as to how this would be received, and he hopes the motivation is pure and he will vote for this. He said this could have been handled in a much better way. Commissioner Marcoplos said he is having a hard time understanding this feedback, and he and Commissioner Dorosin said this was kept wide open with a clean canvas to decide on a forum. He said the resolution format was chosen to promote the urgency of this issue, as opposed to the petition process that takes weeks. He said he is often asked what he is going to do to fight racism, and this is an invitation to all to have a discussion. Commissioner Dorosin said that Commissioner McKee does not know with whom he has talked, and he has talked to many diverse members of the community. He said this resolution is in response to what has been brought forward to him by the community. Commissioner Dorosin called the question.