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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: August 16, 2005 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. ~~ G <br />SUBJECT: Mill Creek Road Area Community Health Study Proposal <br />DEPARTMENT: Health PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Mill Creek Road Area Community Health Rosemary Summers, ext 2411 <br />Assessment Plan Ron Holdway, ext 2360 <br /> TELEPHONE NUMBERS: <br /> Hillsborough 732-8181 <br /> Chapel Hill 968-4501 <br /> Durham 688-7331 <br /> Mebane 336-227-2031 <br />PURPOSE: To receive a proposed community health assessment plan for the Mill Creek Road <br />area, provide direction to staff, and consider funding from the Social Safety Net/Critical Needs <br />Reserve to address water sampling costs, <br />BACKGROUND: Earlier this spring, Environmental Health staff met with a small number of <br />residents from the Mill Greek Road area located in Cedar Grove Township. These residents <br />voiced concerns at that time about well water problems in their neighborhood and what options <br />were available for relief including well repairs, well replacements and the extension of public <br />water lines. <br />Subsequent to that meeting, one community member in attendance at a Board of County <br />Commissioners meeting asked the board to authorize a groundwater study based an the fact <br />that several community members had developed cancer as a result of the water, The BOCC <br />members agreed to attend a community meeting to further discuss the matter with the residents <br />and to authorize a study of the problems, That meeting occurred on June 29th, All five <br />commissioners were in attendance as was Orange County Environmental Health staff, the <br />Orange County Engineer and an Orange County Planning Department representative. Local <br />media was also present, <br />The Commissioners committed to the community that the Health Department would spearhead <br />a study of the water problems and other possible environmental exposures in the area and <br />provide a report to the Commissioners and to the community. Commissioners asked that the <br />County be provided with a list of past cancer patients in the area, which has been provided to <br />Health Department staff. The attached proposal is for an assessment of health conditions in <br />the area where residents are expressing concern. The Health Department will utilize current <br />Environmental Health and Community Services staff who have expertise in this area to gather <br />samples, to conduct the assessment proposed in the study and to analyze the data, <br />