Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
3 <br /> make masks recommended rather than required by March 7, 2022. She noted that the schools <br /> have a lot of vacancies and few substitutes to fill those needs. She said that the current <br /> recommendation is for teachers to stay out for 5 days if they develop COVID. She said she <br /> thinks that will impact schools where they may not want to jump in line behind the <br /> recommendations and may need to make their own decisions. <br /> Chair Price said the Emergency Management Partnership includes a few elected <br /> officials as well as folks from Emergency Services and Emergency Management, as well as <br /> UNC Health. She said their decisions are based on recommendations from those experts. She <br /> said that Todd McGee has started the County's Government Academy and encouraged people <br /> to participate and learn more about how to get involved with the county through advisory <br /> boards. She said she attended the launch of the Summer Careers Academy, funded by the <br /> Board, and open to young people aged 16-24. She said that it teaches skills, trades, and allows <br /> them to apprentice and then move onto jobs. She said there is a focus on people coming from <br /> low wealth families, refugee families, and BIPOC communities. She congratulated the <br /> Economic Development Department for Thermo-Fischer Scientific, located in Orange County, <br /> being recognized as the 2nd largest fourth quarter 2021 project by investment. <br /> 4. Proclamations/ Resolutions/ Special Presentations <br /> None. <br /> 5. Public Hearings <br /> None. <br /> 6. Regular Agenda <br /> a. Orange County's Proposed 2022 Legislative Agenda <br /> The Board reviewed and discussed the Legislative Issues Work Group's (LIWG) proposed 2022 <br /> legislative package and any other potential items for inclusion in Orange County's legislative <br /> agenda package for the 2022 North Carolina General Assembly Session; considered approval <br /> of the 2022 Orange County Priority Legislative Issues document for submittal to Orange <br /> County's legislative delegation; and considered approval of the 2022 Orange County Legislative <br /> Interests document to also be shared with Orange County's legislative delegation. <br /> BACKGROUND: In preparation for each North Carolina General Assembly session, the Board <br /> of Commissioners has historically appointed two members to work with staff on a Legislative <br /> Issues Work Group (LIWG) to develop a proposed legislative package for the County. Based <br /> on the work of the LIWG, the BOCC has then reviewed and approved packages of legislative <br /> items to present to Orange County's legislative delegation. <br /> Commissioners Renee Price and Anna Richards are serving on the 2022 LIWG and have <br /> worked with staff on the proposed 2022 legislative package, which consists of the two attached <br /> documents, in preparation for the Board's March 21, 2022 Legislative Breakfast meeting with <br /> Orange County's legislative delegation. <br /> As the LIWG considered its approach for this year, the Group (similar to last year) decided to <br /> identify a set of Legislative Priorities and a broader set of Legislative Interests. The Group <br /> ultimately identified five (5) Legislative Priorities, acknowledging that the full Board of <br /> Commissioners may consider modifying the list, exchanging one item for another item, other <br /> potential revisions, etc. Attachment 1 is the draft list of five (5) recommended 2022 Orange <br /> County Priority Legislative Issues from the LIWG. <br />