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34 <br /> this as a more social and health issue rather than a crime. She said the charge needs more, <br /> including some benchmarks so they can add monitoring and evaluation. She said that there <br /> should be some short-range plans. She said she is leaning more toward Option B. <br /> Commissioner Hamilton proposed a change to the charge by adding, "to prevent opioid <br /> abuse, and to remedy the opioid impacts." <br /> Commissioner McKee said he sees advantages to both options, but thinks the best for <br /> expanding and tailoring to Orange County is Option A. He said Option B is more nuanced. He <br /> said law enforcement is the first contact and the most contentious contact at times. He said <br /> that the elected boards in the county have made a concerted effort to refocus from punishment <br /> to prevention. He said that regardless of whether law enforcement is on this committee, they <br /> are in the mix, so they need to be at the table. <br /> Commissioner Greene said Commissioner McKee said everything she was going to say <br /> about law enforcement. She said that she was moved by the words of the Carrboro Police Chief <br /> and believe they need to be at the table. She said she prefers Option A. <br /> Commissioner Fowler said she still agrees with Option A with the addition of strategic <br /> planning for gaps. She said that she thinks there should be more housing support roles and <br /> more people with lived experience in the composition of the task force. She said that UNC <br /> School of Public Health may have done a report on what would be most cost effective. <br /> Chair Price said asked if the committee would take the strategies and put them into a <br /> plan. <br /> Quintana Stewart said in the immediate, the group would come back with a <br /> recommendation on where to start. <br /> Chair Price said she wants there to be a youth voice at the table. She said that she <br /> heard from students years ago about circumstances at home and in school and that part of <br /> prevention that they need to work on is what happens earlier in life. She also said focus on <br /> veterans is important. <br /> Commissioner Richards said CJRD and crisis units would be different than having <br /> officers represented. She said the data from 2020 does not reflect what has happened over the <br /> past two years, especially challenges for young people. <br /> Commissioner Bedford said she thinks what law enforcement would bring to the table <br /> could be captured regardless of jurisdiction, so there could be fewer dedicated positions. She <br /> said this would help clear space for prevention, equity, housing, etc. <br /> Chair Price said she sees differences between the agencies. She said a lot of law <br /> enforcement officers are in the community and have relationships with people. She said it is not <br /> about arresting people. <br /> Commissioner Greene said law enforcement are not interchangeable because they <br /> represent four different jurisdictions and out of respect should be represented. <br /> Commissioner McKee said he was part of a group that organized Caldwell Fire <br /> Department. He said there were a lot of people that had different ideas about how to do it. He <br /> said that each member of the board was picked to have different perspectives at the table. He <br /> said that law enforcement is a necessary part of the community, and they represent entities with <br /> different characteristics. <br /> A motion was made by Commissioner Hamilton, seconded by Commissioner McKee, to <br /> select Option A regarding how the county will spend opioid settlement funds on opioid <br /> remediation activities. <br /> VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br />