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2 <br /> Lynn McGee of the Human Relations Commission (HRC) invited the Board to attend the <br /> upcoming Pauli Murray Awards ceremony. She said there has been a lot of turnover on the HRC. <br /> She said that it means there are fresh eyes on initiatives. She said they have all completed fair <br /> housing training and the state HRC orientation. She said they would like to do more in the <br /> community. She said they would like to do more fair housing education in the community. She <br /> said they know what they want to do, but the big question is how. She said they recently had a <br /> retreat, and they want to focus on groups that are underserved and marginalized. She said they <br /> anticipate some issues in the community related to politics and the nationwide discourse. She <br /> said they would like the commissioners to consider creating a pressure release valve of sorts for <br /> community conflict resolution. She said this could be an emergency hotline or call center and <br /> maybe a conflict resolution professional or polling expert could be available. She said the second <br /> thing they would like to focus on is identifying roles and responsibilities. She recommended that <br /> the commissioners form a subcommittee to look at the advisory board policy and develop <br /> standard operating procedures because it would help boards run more efficiently. <br /> Commissioner McKee said he was not aware of any political tension in the community. <br /> Lynn McGee said it is not just political, it could be related to other issues. <br /> Chair Bedford said the community is really enjoying the Pauli Murray mural on the side of <br /> the Sportsplex. She said there are emergency plans in place for any issues that may come up at <br /> polling locations. <br /> Vice-Chair Greene said she has heard of safe space type places in other communities <br /> and thinks it is an interesting idea, but she is unsure that a government body should be the one <br /> to do it. <br /> Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked if the HRC tracks where issues are and if it is mostly <br /> housing or are there other areas. <br /> Lynn McGee said it is in communities and they have a subcommittee to deep dive to try <br /> to identify the needs. She said that housing is close to their heart, so they address those first and <br /> foremost. She said fair housing is a big part of their mission. She said that there may be other <br /> issues that come up and they are trying to identify if it is just housing or if there are others. <br /> Commissioner Richards said she is interested in standard operating procedures. She said <br /> she thinks the turnover and the operating policy is important to focus on so that when new <br /> volunteers come on board, they will know what to expect. <br /> Lynn McGee said it could be beneficial for everyone and she would be available to help if <br /> needed. <br /> Natalie Ziemba, chair of the Orange County Parks and Recreation Council, said the <br /> primary purpose of the council is to be the main advisory board for the Department of <br /> Environmental, Agriculture, Parks, and Recreation. She said they also review outside funding <br /> requests for any program related to recreational programs offered by the county. She said they <br /> are co-sponsoring the Nature of Orange photography contest. She said 2023 was the Year of the <br /> Trail. She said the council sponsored hikes in recognition. She said they participated in the Perry <br /> Hills minipark design process and got involved with the community. She said members <br /> participated in the 2050 Land Use Planning for Orange County. She said they are in the process <br /> of reviewing the Master Plan and that is a mid-way review that will assess how we are doing. She <br /> said that post pandemic has changed how parks are used and how people gather. She said that <br /> they are also incorporating diversity equity and inclusion. She said that when the plan was <br /> adopted, there was interest in a community swimming pool, but key details are missing. She <br /> asked if it was an urgent request. She said that there was a lot of room for collaboration and <br /> partnership, so they are exploring ways to work with the towns to utilize recreational spaces. She <br /> said they are developing a disc golf course. She said there has been a huge increase in interest <br /> in pickleball and they are exploring a way to accommodate the interest and increase availability. <br /> She said they are considering partnering with the Friends of the Library to do a storybook trail <br /> through Orange County. She said that the Central Recreation center is doing a fabulous job with <br />