Minutes 04-20-2021 Virtual Business Meeting

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2 Board or the public fail to observe this charge, the Chair will take steps to restore order and decorum. Should it become impossible to restore order and continue the meeting, the Chair will recess the meeting until such time that a genuine commitment to this public charge is observed. The BOCC asks that all electronic devices such as cell phones, pagers, and computers should please be turned off or set to silent/vibrate. Please be kind to everyone. Arts Moment— No Arts Moment was available for this meeting. 2. Public Comments a. Matters not on the Printed Agenda Diana Montgomery said she is an environmental educator, and has lived in Efland for 24 years. She said she spoke to the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) about Buc-ee's at a previous meeting. She thanked the Commissioners for their time and attention, and careful review of ordinances. She said she hopes the BOCC will apply that same level of care in assessing and listening to the Buckhorn Area Plan, which deserves close examination. She urged the Board to take seriously its ordinances and established agreements, as the community is relying on the BOCC. She said she hopes there will always be opportunity for public comment, and encouraged the BOCC to keep asking good questions in order to protect environmental resources, such critical watersheds that supply drinking water, and the unique natural area that surrounds Seven Mile Creek. b. Matters on the Printed Agenda (These matters will be considered when the Board addresses that item on the agenda below.) 3. Announcements, Petitions and Comments by Board Members Commissioner Greene said the transit plan and policy steering committee met with its counterparts in Durham, in order to discuss needs that will not be met by light rail. She said light rail projects will not happen, but the need to connect the two counties still exists. She said Durham County has developed three scenarios with the help of a consultant, and all options have a version of express bus or bus rapid transit going down 15-501 corridor. She said Orange County has similar interests, and all will keep working together and coordinate efforts. Commissioner Greene participated in a listening session sponsored by Durham Technical Community College. She said the community college is planning for a new building, and are considering the structure and design of new building to best meet the needs of Orange County. She said most people in the meeting were interested in local food economy and ways Durham Tech could help. She said Durham Tech was receptive to the ideas. She said the Piedmont Food &Agricultural Processing Center (PFAP) is about to lose its fifth business to out of the County. She said PFAP is having growing pains, and the Board needs to proactively support the local food economy, as small businesses are as important to Economic Development as big businesses. She petitioned the Board to hold a work session on local food economy, and ways the County could positively support it and make it thrive. Commissioner Fowler said she attended the Triangle Area Rural Planning Organization (TARPO) meeting, where there was a report from the NC Board of Transportation, NC Department of Transportation (NCDOT), and TARPO staff. She said there is $1.5 billion cash balance available, but that may change, as projects are started post COVID-19. She said train service is back to full schedule, and offering 50% off train fares for April. She said there are 2,500 job vacancies with NCDOT. She said the meeting attendees approved FY22 plan, which can be found at TARPO.org.