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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: February 12, 2004 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. ~-1~ <br />SUBJECT: Social Justice Goal for County Government <br />DEPARTMENT: County Manager <br />PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />List of Possible Items for Inclusion in a <br />Social .Justice Goal <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Gwen Harvey, Assistant County <br />Manager, ext. 2300 <br />Sharron Hinton, Director of Community <br />Program, ext. 2300 <br />TELEPHONE NUMBERS: <br />Hillsborough 732-8181 <br />Chapel Hill 968-4501 <br />Durham 688-7331 <br />Mebane 336-227-2031 <br />PURPOSE: To receive feedback and direction from the BOCC on its interest in having staff <br />develop a Social Justice Goal for possible adoption, <br />BACKGROUND: The BOCC discussed during its 2002 Retreat the idea of establishing a <br />Social Justice Goal, Several items were mentioned and these are reflected in the attachment, <br />The directors of Economic Development, Social Services, Public Health, Housing and <br />Community Development, Human Rights and Relations, and Community Programs, along with <br />the director of Orange-Person-Chatham Mental Health, have met on several occasions since <br />then to begin addressing this list by first examining what was already occurring within their <br />program areas to address issues such as "affordable housing" or "nursing home oversight", For <br />example, the award of HOME and Affordable Housing bonds to community non-profits and the <br />creation of the Long Term Care Roundtable are representative of activities currently underway <br />and supported by the BOCC that support social justice concerns, <br />At the last meeting held in November 2003, the directors added new items for general <br />discussion to the list; e.g, the housing wage and family-friendly practices in the workplace. <br />Discussion also centered on how to ensure fair and equitable distribution of public resources <br />and services across all population groups (gender, disability, ethnicity/race, socio-economics, <br />etc.) in the County as one approach for drafting a Social Justice Goal for the BOCC to consider. <br />In that context, the directors thought it would be useful to look at how and if Orange County <br />residents have an equal chance to get the help they may need. <br />At this paint, County staff would like further feedback from the BOCC on whether it wants to <br />formally pursue adoption of a Social Justice Goal and direction on what it wishes that goal to <br />address, <br />