Minutes 05-03-2022 Business Meeting

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2 Chair Price said they would take her comments to agenda review and discuss her request. Commissioner McKee arrived at 7:02 p.m. 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 Hamilton said that on April 28t", the Board of County Commissioners and the Orange County Schools and Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools Boards of Education met to discuss key challenges faced by our public schools. She said she came away with one clear conclusion: our schools are in crisis. She said they are losing teachers, teacher aides, and students. She said the COVID-19 pandemic hit schools like an ongoing physical assault and traumatized the people and the institution. She said the community needs to come together to support schools so they can recover and get back to the work making sure that all students reach their potential. She asked what will that take? She said what she thinks will be helpful is if the community and commissioners understand what it takes to educate all children in the 21 st Century. She said children faces challenges that she never faced as a student, such as social media and the anxiety of the pandemic and living in an uncertain world. She said they need to look at how to support children, including resources. She also said they need to know the questions they need to ask of the schools, so they can make sure they are doing what they can to educate our children. She said that in her role as commissioner, she is ready to listen to financial needs of schools and to balance their needs with the needs of others in the community. She said the county has spent time and resources addressing and redressing some of the inequities that have resulted from the social structure. She gave the example of the Criminal Justice Resource Department's work. She said we must not forget to invest in education so we don't have to spend so much money repairing the damage. Commissioner Hamilton said previously the Board received a presentation from people who went into assisted living facilities and nursing homes. She said they were told that volunteers cannot go into the facilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She said the group was not able to monitor the care of residents. She petitioned for an update from Director of Aging if it is still the case that volunteers and boards cannot go into long-term care facilities. She said if it is still the case, she would like to staff to draft a letter to the state expressing the importance of allowing volunteers back in to protect the rights and ensure the care of vulnerable residents. Commissioner Bedford had no comments. Commissioner Fowler had no comments. Commissioner Richards said she visited the Efland Cheeks and Cedar Grove community centers and the rural fire department in Cedar Grove. She said she got see up close what the fire support is for the county and she got to do a deeper dive into the Buckhorn Economic Development Area. She said when you get out and see how beautiful and spread out the county is, you see it is a challenge that becomes more real when you try to meet the needs of the whole county. She said she was grateful to have an opportunity to meet people in other parts of the county. Commissioner McKee had no comments. Chair Price announced that on May 5t" at 4 p.m., there will be a groundbreaking for the new library.