Agenda - 06-20-2023; 8-a - Minutes

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2 1 the Alliance Health Board of Directors, and she looks forward to hearing how they will continue to 2 serve the most vulnerable county residents. 3 Commissioner Fowler recognized the two proclamations on the consent agenda: 4 Recognition of Child Care Work Appreciation Day, and Mental Health Awareness Month. She 5 said they will not be read aloud tonight due to the packed agenda, but are available to read in the 6 agenda packet. She recognized the importance of early childhood care providers to the health, 7 safety, and development of children, as well as to the local economy as it allows parents of young 8 children to join the workforce. She said even though we are coming out of the pandemic, there 9 continues to be a significant number of people experiencing mental health challenges. She 10 thanked partners in the county and the schools, as well as Alliance Health for their work to improve 11 mental health care in Orange County. She encouraged anyone experiencing mental health issues 12 to reach out to their provider, Alliance Health, or to call 9-8-8. She announced her attendance at 13 the Chamber of Commerce event last week where each of the county and towns' Economic 14 Development directors presented current development in the county. 15 Chair Bedford said the other proclamation on the consent agenda is to recognize Older 16 Americans Month. She said people age differently and there is a growing population of seniors in 17 Orange County and she appreciates their contributions. She said there is a pilot expanding to 18 Orange County through Alliance Health that will work with residents with traumatic brain injuries. 19 She said there will be more news to follow on that. 20 Vice-Chair McKee had no comments. 21 Commissioner Richards thanked Commissioner Fowler and Chair Bedford for recognizing 22 the proclamations on the consent agenda. She said she continues to work with the Orange 23 Partnership for Young Children, and will be meeting with staff this week on some follow up on a 24 the Board's petition to increase the availability of childcare and use the slots the county currently 25 has. She thanked child care workers across the county. She also announced that it is Teacher 26 Appreciation Day, and thanked educators in Orange County and expressed how important 27 teachers are to educating children and said they deserve every bit of appreciation and more. She 28 praised the Orange County Economic Development staff for their presentation at the event 29 Commissioner Fowler mentioned. She shared that she also attended an arts competition on 30 Sunday hosted by the Partnership for Young Children for participants under 5 years old. She said 31 the youngest winner was 9 months old. The art of the winners will be displayed across the county 32 for the next year. 33 Vice-Chair McKee recognized Orange Grove Fire Department for their 501h Anniversary 34 event over the weekend. 35 Commissioner Greene said she attended the Orange County Community Remembrance 36 Coalition's Soil Collection Ceremony on Saturday at the Battle Courtroom. She said it was a very 37 moving experience to honor five victims of lynching in Orange County in a very palpable way by 38 placing soil from where they were lynched into two big jars. She said one will go to the Lynching 39 Museum in Montgomery, Alabama sponsored by the Equal Justice Initiative, and the other will 40 stay in Orange County. She said the Community Remembrance Coalition will have another event 41 this coming Saturday also at the Battle Courtroom, which will be a panel discussion of Albion 42 Tourg6e, an important figure who touched ground in Orange County. 43 Commissioner Greene said GoTriangle met last week and discussed when/if to re- 44 introduce fares. She said she thinks, whatever is decided, surrounding public transportation 45 entities should remain coordinated and consistent. She said she has also been attending the 46 meetings discussing transitioning UNC Chapel Hill from its reliance on coal that has involved 47 Senator Meyer and his office, UNC's Sustainability Office, Carrboro, Chapel Hill, some UNC 48 students, and others. She said UNC is very interested in these discussions. She said two studies 49 will be done—one funded by UNC about what it would really look like to transition off of coal. She 50 said the other study would involve Orange County because it plans for the going away of the rail 51 line that brings the coal through Orange County onto campus. She said it will look into the