Minutes 03-07-2024 - Business Meeting

Browse Search

6 as the Orange County Delegate and participated in the UNC public orientation for elected officials on February 29t". She noted that there are no plans to build more student housing. Finally, she shared that she attended the Alliance Health Board meeting earlier this afternoon. Commissioner McKee said there will be an informational meeting next Monday, March 111" at Lattisville Grove Church to discuss the broadband services being installed throughout the county. He petitioned the County Manager to research other recreational management companies in the Southeast and bring forward information on those companies. Commissioner Richards said she went to the Jordan Lake Nutrient Readoption stakeholder meeting, and it was very informative. She said she attended the Lion King Jr. production at Carrboro Elementary School and said it was an amazing show. She said she also attended the Black History Knowledge Bowl and Pauli Murray Awards along with Commissioner Hamilton. She said she attended the Black Business Alliance meeting at Innovate Carolina. She said it was her first time there and encouraged other commissioners to visit. She said she went to a couple of events related to the primary including a young voter drive at UNC, and also attended the UNC public orientation Commissioner Hamilton mentioned. Finally, she took a tour of Freedom House and got to see some of the new additions there, including a pharmacy. Chair Bedford said the Board will be celebrating Creek Week from March 16th-23�d. She encouraged residents to look at the county and town websites to see how they can get involved in events. She said she unfortunately had COVID, so could not participate in many events since the last meeting, but said she was able to get out and vote and extended thanks to Elections staff and all of the people who work at voting sites. Vice-Chair Greene congratulated Commissioner Portie-Ascott for winning her primary election. She said she also attended the Black History Bowl and the Pauli Murray Awards and they were great events. She said she too took a tour of Freedom House and was pleased to see the work happening there. She said she got an email from Katie Murray underscoring the Big Night in for the Arts, which is happening tonight. She described the event and highlighted the recording studio that produced part of the event called Sonark Media. She said the studio is on Borland Rd. and is a great resource to know about. Finally, she described the work of Jane Saiers' subcommittee on figuring out ways to keep farmers in farming and to preserve rural farmland which is being lost at a dramatic rate in Orange County. She said she has been thinking about how to support that effort and made a petition for Planning staff to work with Jane Saiers' subcommittee to bring back the idea of Conservation Subdivisions, which allows land to be clustered in order to save part of the land to be open space or used as farmland. Commissioner Fowler shared that she also went on a tour at Freedom House and met Joyce Harper. She said she also attended the Board of Health meeting on February 28t", as well as their retreat. She said the Budget remains stable compared to last year, and learned the adjudication process in the case that someone appeals a public health decision. She said she also heard a preview of the Community Health Assessment which revealed that the top community concerns are affordable housing, cost of healthy food, affordable health care, and mental health. She said it is good to know that the Board is already focusing on these areas. She said she attended the IDAL Action Team meeting, whose goal is to create a community for people with IDD and allow them to age in place. She said it was one of the most fruitful times they have met because they reviewed 5 possible projects in the Triangle and looked at the pros and cons of each. She said she learned they are currently funding a social support person in the North Street community in Durham as part of a pilot. She said that she also attended the Black History Knowledge Bowl and Poetry Slam and found the students very impressive. She said this morning she and Chair Bedford had an introductory meeting with Doug Plachcinski with DCHC MPO to figure out interactions going forward. Lastly, she thanked all of the speakers regarding the Triangle Youth Hockey and said she hopes RFP will reconsider their decision and collaborate with them.