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8 <br /> 1 The Board considered voting to approve a resolution re-naming the new Orange County <br /> 2 Environmental Agricultural Center (EAC) to the Orange County Bonnie B. Davis Environmental <br /> 3 and Agricultural Center. <br /> 4 <br /> 5 BACKGROUND: <br /> 6 Bonnie B. Davis joined the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service in the 1950's. Ms. <br /> 7 Davis retired from Orange County Cooperative Extension Department in 1990 after over 40 <br /> 8 years as the Family & Consumer Sciences Agent. Ms. Davis passed away on July 27, 2018. <br /> 9 <br /> 10 A proposal to re-name the New Orange County Environmental Agricultural Center (EAC) to the <br /> 11 Orange County Bonnie B. Davis Environmental and Agricultural Center was presented to the <br /> 12 Board of Commissioners for consideration on February 16, 2021. The Board subsequently <br /> 13 adopted a motion to consider the proposal as outlined in the Board's attached policy. <br /> 14 <br /> 15 As further noted in the policy, the next step is for the Board to consider a resolution approving <br /> 16 the re-naming. <br /> 17 <br /> 18 Bonnie Hammersley reviewed the background of this item, and recommended that the <br /> 19 Board approve the resolution. <br /> 20 Chair Price said there were several letters of recommendation in the Board's agenda <br /> 21 packet, along with an excerpt from the policy regarding the naming of County buildings. <br /> 22 Rashid Neighbors, grandson of Ms. Davis, thanked the Commissioners for recognizing <br /> 23 his grandmother's contributions, love, and commitment to the Orange County Cooperative <br /> 24 Extension. He said the family is very proud of her legacy and impacts on the Orange County <br /> 25 community. He said the cooperative extension agencies were established to provide research <br /> 26 based information from land grant universities to local citizens. He said his grandmother <br /> 27 believed information is power, and she spent her life ensuring that everyone has access to <br /> 28 information. He said he is sure she is smiling down, watching the town expand and grow. He <br /> 29 also noted that his grandparents were avid gardeners and had a garden on Highway 57. His <br /> 30 said his family is looking at how to bring that garden back to life, by partnering with Orange <br /> 31 County Cooperative Extension and the 4-H club, and to use it as a teaching and learning <br /> 32 garden. <br /> 33 Chair Price thanked Mr. Neighbors for his comments, and invited the family to attend the <br /> 34 ribbon cutting later in the year. <br /> 35 Chair Price then read the resolution: <br /> 36 <br /> 37 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> 38 <br /> 39 RESOLUTION RE-NAMING THE NEW ORANGE COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL <br /> 40 AGRICULTURAL CENTER (EAC) TO THE ORANGE COUNTY BONNIE B. DAVIS <br /> 41 ENVIRONMENTAL AND AGRICULTURAL CENTER <br /> 42 <br /> 43 WHEREAS, Bonnie B. Davis joined the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service in the <br /> 44 1950's and retired from Orange County Cooperative Extension Department in 1990 after over <br /> 45 40 years as the Family & Consumer Sciences Agent; and <br /> 46 <br /> 47 WHEREAS, Bonnie B. Davis was appointed the first Orange County "Colored" Home <br /> 48 Demonstration Agent (now known as Family and Consumer Sciences Agent); and <br /> 49 <br /> 50 WHEREAS, Bonnie B. Davis leadership strengths served as a foundation to facilitate racial <br /> 51 integration in the Orange County Extension office, and her positive attitude spread among 4-H <br />