Orange County NC Website
15 <br /> 1 Commissioner Marcoplos said the Orange County Climate Council has continued to <br /> 2 meet over the summer, and will soon be announcing a one-year public event, which will occur in <br /> 3 October. He said it has been a really good year, and it is inspiring to hear from people all <br /> 4 across the County. <br /> 5 Chair Rich said it has been a really busy summer, especially surrounding the opening of <br /> 6 the University of North Carolina (UNC). <br /> 7 Chair Rich said the North Carolina Housing Crescent Award went to Habitat. She said <br /> 8 this was the first time Habitat has received an award for senior housing, and it used some of the <br /> 9 2016 BOCC bond money. <br /> 10 Chair Rich said she sent the Board a copy of a draft letter to Attorney General (AG) Josh <br /> 11 Stein in support of the postage service. She thanked Commissioner Dorosin for adding three <br /> 12 paragraphs to the letter. She said she would like to send this to AG Stein, with the Board's <br /> 13 approval, along with the NC Senators and Congressmen. <br /> 14 Chair Rich petitioned the Board to name the Whitted Meeting Room after Donna Baker. <br /> 15 She said she received the naming policy from the Manager's Office, and this naming fits into <br /> 16 that policy. She said former Commissioners have asked that, if this naming goes forward, the <br /> 17 event be held live so that all can attend. <br /> 18 Chair Rich said she sent a resolution, for the Board to consider at its next meeting, to <br /> 19 decriminalize marijuana. <br /> 20 <br /> 21 4. Proclamations/ Resolutions/ Special Presentations <br /> 22 <br /> 23 a. Resolution Honoring and Remembering Donna Baker, Clerk to the Orange County <br /> 24 Board of Commissioners <br /> 25 The Board considered voting to adopt a resolution honoring and remembering Donna <br /> 26 Baker, Clerk to the Orange County Board of Commissioners. <br /> 27 <br /> 28 BACKGROUND: <br /> 29 On July 31, 2020, Clerk to the Board of Commissioners Donna Baker passed away <br /> 30 unexpectedly at her home in Orange County. Ms. Baker had served as Clerk to the Board for 18 <br /> 31 years since her appointment in June 2002. <br /> 32 <br /> 33 Donna graduated from high school in Georgetown, SC and subsequently from Clemson <br /> 34 University with Honors in 1978. Ms. Baker built a lifelong career of community service from her <br /> 35 early work with parents and children at The Ronald McDonald House of Chapel Hill, to positions <br /> 36 with Georgetown, SC County Government, and her most recent position as Clerk to the Orange <br /> 37 County Board of County Commissioners. <br /> 38 <br /> 39 Donna was blessed with two children — Jeremy and CeCe—who are now older with families of <br /> 40 their own. She was an accomplished learner and reader, and was also a true lover of animals, <br /> 41 including adopting several rescue pets over time. <br /> 42 <br /> 43 While she greatly loved Orange County, Donna also held a special place in her heart for the <br /> 44 South Carolina beaches, especially the Georgetown/Pawley's Island area. She spent many <br /> 45 years and vacations there enjoying the sea and surf. <br /> 46 <br /> 47 Commissioner Dorosin read the resolution: <br /> 48 <br /> 49 RES-2020-043 <br /> 50 <br /> 51 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />