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Attachment 2 <br /> 1 <br /> 1 DRAFT MINUTES <br /> 2 ORANGE COUNTY <br /> 3 BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> 4 BUSINESS MEETING <br /> 5 May 2, 2023 <br /> 6 7:00 p.m. <br /> 7 <br /> 8 The Orange County Board of Commissioners met for a Business Meeting on Tuesday, May 2, <br /> 9 2023 at 7:00 p.m. at the Whitted Human Services Center in Hillsborough, NC. <br /> 10 <br /> 11 COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Jamezetta Bedford, Vice-Chair Earl McKee, <br /> 12 and Commissioners Amy Fowler, Sally Greene, Jean Hamilton, Phyllis Portie-Ascott, and Anna <br /> 13 Richards <br /> 14 COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: None <br /> 15 COUNTY ATTORNEYS PRESENT: John Roberts <br /> 16 COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager Bonnie Hammersley, Deputy County Manager <br /> 17 Travis Myren, and Clerk to the Board Laura Jensen. (All other staff members will be identified <br /> 18 appropriately below) <br /> 19 <br /> 20 Chair Bedford called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. All commissioners were present. <br /> 21 <br /> 22 <br /> 23 1. Additions or Changes to the Agenda <br /> 24 <br /> 25 Chair Bedford dispensed with reading the public charge. <br /> 26 <br /> 27 2. Public Comments (Limited to One Hour) <br /> 28 a. Matters not on the Printed Agenda <br /> 29 <br /> 30 There was no one signed up to speak. <br /> 31 <br /> 32 b. Matters on the Printed Agenda <br /> 33 (These matters will be considered when the Board addresses that item on the agenda below.) <br /> 34 <br /> 35 <br /> 36 3. Announcements, Petitions and Comments by Board Members <br /> 37 Commissioner Portie-Ascott said she is finishing up her meetings with all county <br /> 38 department heads and touring county buildings. Since the last meeting, she said she met with the <br /> 39 Tax Department, Finance, Social Services, the Health Department, Animal Services, and the <br /> 40 Chapel Hill Orange County Visitors Bureau. She said the Visitor's Bureau staff shared that they <br /> 41 have contributed to raising their revenue by 40% and bringing in over 2.5 million visitors to Orange <br /> 42 County in the last year. She said she attended a community conversation on drug trends in <br /> 43 Orange County hosted by the Orange Partnership for Alcohol and Drug Free Youth and the <br /> 44 Orange County Sheriff's Office. She said drugs are showing up across the county in the form of <br /> 45 gummies, vapes, and drinks that resemble other soft drinks. She said there were several <br /> 46 community members at the meeting who requested more community conversations on this topic. <br /> 47 Commissioner Hamilton said the Schools Safety Task Force met on April 27th and received <br /> 48 information on the legal issues regarding school safety with the County Attorney and UNC Law <br /> 49 Professor Papandrea who talked about the first amendment in education. She said it was very <br /> 50 helpful to understand what can be done legally. She said there is also an upcoming meeting of <br />