Agenda - 09-02-2021; 8-a - Minutes

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24 1 Buckhorn EDD could be detrimental to the County's ability to take action as a stakeholder. At 2 the same time, currently proposed allocation seems inconsistent with the position the Board has 3 taken on how rural industrial development should proceed. Mebane was prepared to adopt land 4 use amendments as a result of this study as if it were a plan; while Orange Ccounty is prepared 5 to classify this as a technical study, leaving no plan in place. Yet it has been included in the 6 proposed 2021-2023 budget projections. Based on tonight's comments— I am again unsure if 7 this is a study or a plan. 8 1 am requesting that the county manager further clarify how funds are allocated for 9 Economic Development to working with Mebane in the development of the Buckhorn EDD, as 10 mentioned in Objectives for interdepartmental collaboration on page 367: "Evaluate our 11 Economic Development partnerships with City of Mebane, Town of Hillsborough and City of 12 Durham regarding land use development potential." It is worth making the comment that this is 13 an ambiguous and unmeasurable objective unless there is a binding Joint Planning Area aka, a 14 binding agreement in place. 15 1 am here to show my support for both budget amendments regarding the Buckhorn 16 EDD. Residents, not potential developers who do not yet exist, deserve adequate public 17 engagement to ensure funds are allocated in coordination with County's Financial and Social 18 Justice Impact commitments. As you continue discussions around EDDs, I encourage elected 19 officials to consider the impending changes of the UDO, specifically Chapter 160D and the 20 public engagement process amendments. Residents are clearly asking to understand the 21 county's plans to proceed with development goals within its rural jurisdiction. 22 It is clear that discussions around the Hillsborough EDD and Buckhorn EDD are 23 occurring separately, despite their close proximity. The public input session held two weeks ago 24 regarding the Buckhorn EDD expansion lacked clear instructions for participation and 25 represents a missed opportunity for additional public comment. Based on the responses to two 26 public outreach meetings, more engagement is needed prior to being presented to BOCC for 27 budget amendments 28 29 Kelly Allen read the following statement: 30 Thank you so much for allowing me to speak this evening. My name is Kelly Allen, I am 31 a resident of Hillsborough, and I'm a teacher at East Chapel Hill High School. I am very grateful 32 for your service to our community, and I can imagine that "making everyone happy" when 33 creating a budget for the county is an impossible job. With that in mind, I come to you this 34 evening asking that you consider how the amount of money that is allocated for Orange County 35 and Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools affects its employees and the community as a whole. 36 In 2017, the Hillsborough/Orange County Chamber of Commerce became the first living 37 wage certified chamber in North Carolina, and so it is clear that our community feels strongly 38 about the importance of employees earning a living wage. Board of County Commissioners, you 39 asked Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools to pay all employees a living wage. We did. Every 40 employee in the district, starting next year will earn a living wage, along with yearly increases for 41 inflation. This costs money that you need to provide, and so far you haven't. Put the county's 42 dollars where you say its values are. 43 This is going to help bus drivers, custodians, and cafeteria workers -the essential 44 workers that fed us, delivered food, and kept schools and buses clean and safe for students and 45 staff. Is zero dollars for them really your response to our community's heroes? This budgetary 46 investment is not only vital for the people earning this salary, for their physical, mental, and 47 emotional well-being, but it is also important for our local economy. Money earned in our 48 community by school employees will support local businesses and generate tax income for the 49 county when these same employees spend money in the community. If we feel that a living 50 wage is important for other people in our community, shouldn't school employees be afforded 51 this same basic living wage?