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23 <br /> f. Board of Commissioners Vacancy <br /> The Board considered the process by which the July 31 BOCC vacancy will be filled. <br /> BACKGROUND: <br /> Commissioner Mark Dorosin recently notified the BOCC he will be resigning his position <br /> effective July 31, 2021. Orange County is subject to North Carolina General Statute NCGS <br /> 153A-27, which provides that in Orange County a vacancy is filled by the Board of <br /> Commissioners subject to several pre-requisites for filling a vacancy. The nominee must be a <br /> member of the same political party as that of the member being replaced and a resident of the <br /> same district. Before filling the vacancy the Board of Commissioners must consult the <br /> appropriate political party, but is not bound by the party's recommendation. <br /> The Board of Commissioners must fill the vacancy within 60 days of the date (7/31) the vacancy <br /> becomes effective. In this situation the deadline to fill the vacancy will be September 29, 2021. <br /> If not filled by that date the Clerk of Superior Court must fill the vacancy. The appointee will <br /> serve in the position until the first Monday in December following the 2022 general election. <br /> The remainder of the unexpired term will be served by the winner of the seat in the November <br /> 2022 general election. The last vacancy on the BOCC in 1981 was filled through an open <br /> process in which the Orange County Democratic Party presented three applicants to the BOCC <br /> for consideration. A twist in this vacancy is that the district may require adjustment to its <br /> boundaries once census numbers are received. <br /> The Orange County Democratic Party (OCDP) proposes to begin the application process in <br /> July. It will create an application, including questions from the BOCC; it will accept applications <br /> through July and potentially some part of August; it will host an open public meeting and <br /> advertise that meeting to the public; and will nominate three candidates to the BOCC in time for <br /> the first BOCC meeting in September. The party requests that: 1) the BOCC inform them of <br /> how the BOCC will fill the position, whether through motion and vote, or nomination and ballot, <br /> 2) the BOCC refer all interested applicants to the party to participate in the process, and 3) the <br /> BOCC, if it so desires, provide questions to include in the application form, by forwarding those <br /> questions to the BOCC Chair who will send them to the Party by July 10. <br /> Chair Price said she met with the Orange County Democratic Party. She said the Party <br /> will accept and review applications, and will hear 2 minute speeches at an open meeting. She <br /> said the Party will then send 3 nominations to the BOCC. She said it is important to note that <br /> nothing the Party does is binding, and the BOCC makes the final decision. She said the Board <br /> can submit questions to the Party by June 26. She said the Board needs to vote on the Party's <br /> proposal. She said the Party intends to have everything ready for a BOCC vote at its first <br /> meeting in September. <br /> Commissioner Fowler asked if the Board should direct questions to a particular person. <br /> Chair Price said to send any questions to her, and she will submit them to the Party. <br /> Commissioner Fowler asked if the Board will be able to see all applications that are <br /> received. <br /> Chair Price said yes, the Party will send a list of the candidates and applications to the <br /> BOCC for review. She said the process would be similar to appointments to Advisory Boards. <br /> Commissioner Hamilton said she is concerned about timing. She said if the BOCC does <br /> not support any of the recommendations from the Party, she is concerned there may not be <br /> enough time to get something in place before September 29t". She said she wants to make <br /> sure there is enough time built in. <br />