Approved Minutes of February 26, 2025

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MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH February 26, 2025 article regarding the blocks to communications by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in which Dr. Stuebe was quoted. Media items were in the packet, which focused on Orange County's events, our involvement in various efforts, and various public health topics. B. Health Directors Report Ms. Stewart presented her report to the Board. Below are brief highlights of her report. • Federal funding to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is currently ongoing, and the temporary restraining orders blocking the freeze of Federal funds remain in place. • Ms. Stewart shared that she recently received a phone call from an attorney related to the Coronato's Pizza/Oasis Cigar Bar lawsuit, and that she is awaiting a subpoena. • Thriving Hearts is ending their planning year, and the first cohort, including Chatham County, Johnston County, and Cumberland County, will begin the program soon. Ms. Stewart reminded the board that Orange County will be in the second cohort. • The Orange County department heads are working on resources related to immigration enforcement. Additionally, they learned that Orange County is not projected to hit sales tax revenue goals; the county has instated a hiring freeze for the rest of the fiscal year, along with freezing conference and training funds and reviewing discretionary contracts. • Ms. Stewart reiterated that, due to inclement weather earlier in the month, the Measles Symposium is being rescheduled. • There are still no documented cases of human-to-human transmission of bird flu and so far in North Carolina no known human cases of bird flu, though there have been several instances of infected bird flocks in the state. • Ms. Stewart reviewed several state legislative updates, including a new bill promoting phone-free schools, a bill restricting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) activities in state and local governments, a bill to create a committee to address Medicaid sustainability if Federal funds are reduced, and an act seeking to protect the borders of North Carolina and requiring law enforcement to comply with ICE. She added that Renee Price is co-sponsoring a bill to provide funding for local public health departments to continue their foundational capabilities work. Mr. Whitaker asked if costs around litigation come from the health department to which Ms. Stewart replied no. • Dr. Royce asked about the potential impact of the bill to protect North Carolina borders on health department operations; Ms. Stewart explained that it could restrict the health department's ability to provide care to those who are not citizens, especially those who are not living in the US legally. Carla Julian, Public Health Nursing Director, commented that there has been an increase in no-show appointments since the new administration began. Mr. Whitaker asked if there is a burden on the health department to check citizenship status, to which Ms. Stewart replied not currently, but if this bill passes then it may become required. Mr. Whitaker expressed dismay and said that this was an inappropriate task to assign a healthcare facility, to which the rest of the group agreed. Dr. Rodgers commented that people go to the Emergency Room specifically because they know that they can get treatment there without having to pay upfront, and Dr. Stuebe added that Emergency Rooms have an obligation to stabilize people in crisis — would they be expected to check immigration status before providing treatment? • Dr. Stuebe said that state legislation regularly invites public comments and that board members could comment in opposition to some of these bills. Ms. Stewart agreed that advocacy is important and that she could draft a form letter. In response to Dr. Royce's S:\Managers Working Files\BOH\Agendas &Abstracts\2025 Agenda and Abstracts/ February Page 8