Agenda - 09-17-2024; 8-a - Minutes

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11 1 and believe that this is about human services and paying people more allows them to live closer 2 to where they work. 3 Blair Pollock said he is retired from Orange County's Solid Waste Department. He asked 4 the Board to keep the Solid Waste fee intact in order to allocate money elsewhere in the budget. 5 He said taking away travel and training for employees is demoralizing and training is an integral 6 part of education. He said there hasn't been a Solid Waste newsletter in a while, and having two- 7 way communication with the public is the best way to ensure higher rates of recycling. He said 8 food waste collection is linked to climate improvement and waste reduction. He said the fee would 9 enable more restaurants to be added to divert food waste. 10 Ryan Lavalley said he is a resident, assistant professor at UNC, and community 11 occupational therapist. He said he moved into the county in 2014 and he has been led to stay and 12 work with older adults in his career. He said that he has been able to study and publish the work 13 at the Department on Aging. He said he opposes the amendment proposed for the Department 14 of Aging. He said that the number of older adults is growing. He said that the Master Aging Plan 15 money was leveraged to build a relationship with UNC Occupational Therapy. He said that the 16 low-income homes that are supported include over 85%of older adults and over half are disabled. 17 He said that the Department on Aging has led the way in thinking about how to include and serve 18 all members of the aging community. He said that money is planned to support specific and 19 concrete projects that he is sure will have lasting impacts. He said that the Department of Aging's 20 work with the MAP model is regarded across the state and country. 21 Leiha Edmonds resident and Ph.D. student at UNC. She said that she also opposes the 22 budget amendment to divert MAP money to the Department on Aging general budget. She said 23 that she was a research associate and has led research teams on Orange County's MAP. She 24 said it is not a plan that sits on the shelf after it is written. She said it is about partnerships and a 25 plan for the county to make it a more livable and age friendly community. She said that she has 26 seen how the strong foundation of the funds in the Department on Aging allows MAP funds to 27 build on infrastructure for new partnerships and programs. She said other counties want to 28 replicate Orange County's MAP and that this makes Orange County a very appealing place. 29 Linda Leikin said she is the Director of PORCH Hillsborough. She thanked Commissioner 30 McKee, Chair Bedford, and Commissioner Portie-Ascott for submitting budget amendments to 31 fund PORCH as an outside agency. She said food insecurity in Northern Orange County is 32 rampant. She said the funds are desperately needed. She said that 50% of students in Orange 33 County Schools are economically disadvantaged. She said that roughly 70% of 300 students are 34 unsure of where their next meal will come from at home. She said they go home and are unsure 35 if they will have a meal until they return to school the next day. She said the grant application 36 asked for funds for vegetables for the students. She asked the commissioners who did not 37 sponsor the amendment to consider voting in favor. She said there is a great need for this work. 38 She said that 95% of their families rely on them. 39 Erica Janko said she is a researcher at UNC Chapel Hill, an Orange County resident, and 40 has aging parents. She said that she opposes the proposed budget amendment to replace 41 General Aging Funds with donated money. She said this change would reduce the budget for 42 aging funds and limits staff flexibility. She said that flexible funding for aging services should be 43 increased, not decreased. She said statewide leaders use Orange County's plan as a guide for 44 their work in their own communities. She said that she has interviewed 45 aging older adults and 45 caregivers. She said they are grateful for the quality of aging services in Orange County, but there 46 still aren't enough services to meet the needs. She said that she volunteers at Our Place weekly. 47 She said they provide needed respite for caretakers and allow older adults with dementia a 1-1 48 volunteer programming. She said there is more demand than they can meet. She said the 49 program is only one day a week and there is a waitlist. She said she has interviewed multiple 50 graduates from Project EngAGE. She said the county is at a critical moment for Orange County.