Minutes 06-02-2022 Budget Public Hearing and Work Session

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16 Chair Price asked about community centers when there is children's programming is taking place. John Roberts said there are not many demonstrations in the county that occur outside of the courthouse or outside of a building where the Board is meeting. Commissioner Greene asked if they could specify that one of the places people could picket or demonstrate is wherever the Board is meeting, while the meeting is taking place. She said it could be included as an exception where picketing can happen. Chair Price asked if Commissioner Greene would be against picketing at the courthouse. Commissioner Greene said no. She said it would be in addition to the courthouse. Commissioner Fowler suggested adding the Whitted Building as an approved location. Commissioner Greene said it could be Whitted, Southern Human Services, or wherever the Board is meeting. Commissioner Fowler said that Southern Human Services is in Chapel Hill. Commissioner Greene acknowledged that because Southern fell in Chapel Hill, it could not be regulated. Commissioner McKee asked how Commissioner Greene's suggestion would affect pickets at an Orange County Board of Education meeting. Commissioner Greene said she was not speaking to the Board of Education at that moment but was addressing the right of people to picket the Orange County Board of Commissioners. Commissioner McKee asked if people would not have the right to picket or take action at another board's meeting. He felt this suggestion was singling out the Board of Commissioners. Carrie Doyle said she was not concerned about picketing when the school board was meeting at a non-school site, such as the Whitted Building. Chair Price said her focus was on the students and teachers. Chair Price asked John Roberts if he had any sense of direction from the Board. John Roberts said it seemed like there was consensus to reduce the number of picketers to zero from ten in the definition of what constitutes picketing in a proposed regulation. Commissioner McKee asked for clarification. John Roberts said that instead of defining picketing as "the activity or circumstance whereby groups of ten or more people gather," it would be changed to "the activity or circumstance whereby a person or persons gather for any common purpose." Commissioner McKee said this change concerned him. He said that two people who might be intimidating or abusive could be handled by the Sheriff's office. John Roberts said that the Sheriff mentioned something similar to him. He said he was aware of a situation where two people showed up, and before long 50 people were with them. He said that two people were loud and demonstrating, but as long as they are just loud but following the other terms, they are not violating the ordinance. Commissioner McKee said that it is subjective. John Roberts disagreed with Commissioner McKee. He said it is not subjective, because there are standards that do not take volume or content of speech into consideration. He said it included standards like if they have a weapon, if signs in compliance, or if picketers are blocking access. Commissioner McKee said he had not heard of an instance where weapons were brought to a picket. He asked for any examples of that over the previous two years. Chair Price said she did not want to wait for that to happen. Commissioner McKee said he did not want to suggest that the Board wait for it to happen.