Agenda - 05-18-2021; 8-a - Minutes

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3 1 numbers are down due to pandemic. She said funding was approved for various juvenile 2 programming. 3 Commissioner Fowler said she attended the intergovernmental parks group meeting, 4 where a report was presented on all of the changes that were made to services related to Covid. 5 Commissioner Fowler asked if staff is receiving information about bikeways and grant 6 funding, or if she needs to share it with Commissioners and staff. 7 Bonnie Hammersley said to forward the information to her and she would send it to 8 appropriate staff members. 9 Commissioner McKee said he will attend the chamber of commerce meeting on 10 Thursday morning. 11 Commissioner McKee petitioned the Board to reconsider having meetings in public, 12 rather than virtually, given the increase in vaccinations and the Governor's potential reduction in 13 restrictions. He said there is room for the Commissioners to meet in the boardroom. He said 14 chairs can be spaced out around the room and can accommodate 24 people with chairs spread 15 apart. He said given the upcoming budget season, and the public interest in the Buckhorn Area 16 Plan, he would support meeting in person. 17 Commissioner Hamilton said she attended the Greater Chamber meeting last week, and 18 the Chapel Hill Economic Development Director shared some great plans to help the Chapel Hill 19 economy recover from COVID-19. 20 Commissioner Hamilton said she also attended the intergovernmental parks workgroup. 21 She said is important to share how the different municipalities worked together to deal with 22 COVID-19, to allow for increased use by residents. She said there were rave reviews for the 23 Department of Health's assistance in making sure everything was safe. 24 Commissioner Bedford read the following petition: 25 26 Whereas, it would benefit Orange County residents to have interconnected services between 27 the county libraries and Chapel Hill Library; and 28 Whereas, the southwest County library to be built in Carrboro is under design with borrowing 29 submission to the LGC targeted for late 2021; and 30 Whereas, there may be associated costs for borrowing/collection inventory software at the new 31 library; and 32 Whereas we do not have current data about the age, costs, planned replacement; potential 33 upgrades, and general opportunities regarding the libraries in the county and towns; 34 35 I petition that Orange County connect with Chapel Hill to determine the existing situation, the 36 costs of creating/expanding interoperability between the county libraries and Chapel Hill library, 37 which could include using the same inventory/borrowing software for all three libraries located in 38 Orange County, and should include expenses beyond software licenses such as personnel 39 costs; travel expense; etc. If other counties or city libraries have current interoperability systems 40 now with Chapel Hill and/or County libraries, please include that data and impact. Library 41 directors and staff will know of other variables and considerations that need to be included in a 42 cost/benefit analysis. It would be a shame to spend a lot of funds on the southwest library 43 system only to learn we missed an opportunity to improve the library services for all. 44 45 Chair Price said she attended a ground breaking for Perry Place homes. She said this 46 development is named after Velma Perry, who was a long-time resident of Chapel Hill and an 47 advocate for social justice and for the community. She said CASA, Orange County, Chapel Hill, 48 and Strowd Roses jointly funded this project. She said some of Ms. Perry's relatives were in 49 attendance. She said hopefully by the grand opening of the home sites, COVID-19 restrictions 50 on gatherings will be lifted, and many can attend and celebrate. 51 Chair Price said the Health Department is taking walk-ins for COVID-19 vaccinations.