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18 <br /> Vice-Chair Hamilton said she supports the Care to Share program. She said that county <br /> commissioners are faced with a lot of needs in the community and are getting ready to go into <br /> budget discussions. She said that she appreciates having the numbers, but she doesn't know if <br /> they can provide funding. <br /> Commissioner Carter applauded OWASA's efforts in western North Carolina. She asked <br /> if the county has provided funding in the past to OWASA customers during rate increases. <br /> Mary Tiger said county assisted with ARPA funding. <br /> Commissioner Carter asked if there has been a role for the municipalities. <br /> Mary Tiger said Carrboro and Chapel Hill provided funding through ARPA. <br /> Chair Bedford said she believes that legally, if the county provided water bill assistance <br /> for OWASA, she thinks they would also need to provide funding to all of the water utilities that <br /> serve the county. She said she had previous experience in water usage and assistance and data <br /> shows that a customer must pay a portion of the bill otherwise they have no incentive to conserve <br /> water. She said that she liked the scenarios presented for types of assistance. She said the county <br /> is looking at the outside agency process and said that staff and the County Manager could look <br /> at the bigger picture. She said it is important to see what the county would have to cut in order to <br /> provide $300,000 or more. She said these leave big budget questions. She said that water is <br /> number one in the hierarchy of needs. <br /> Commissioner Fowler agreed with Chair Bedford on equitable funding across the county. <br /> She said that some residents do not pay their water bill, but it is included in the cost of their rent. <br /> She said that brings an equity issue. She said that is one of the questions that she has. <br /> Chair Bedford said some multifamily have individual meters, but it varies. <br /> b. Child Abuse Prevention Month Proclamation <br /> The Board approved a proclamation declaring April 2025 as Child Abuse Prevention Month. <br /> BACKGROUND: April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. The Department of Social <br /> Services (DSS) and other community organizations are concerned about the continued incidence <br /> of child abuse and neglect in Orange County and in the state of North Carolina. In Fiscal Year <br /> 2023-2024, 574 reports of suspected child maltreatment were assessed in Orange County. For <br /> the state of North Carolina, there were 58,419 reports assessed within the same period. Currently, <br /> 61 children are in the custody of Orange County Social Services due to serious abuse and neglect <br /> issues within their families. As of December 2024, there were 10,899 children in the custody of <br /> social services across the state. <br /> Most child abuse and neglect issues reported to Social Services involve substance use, domestic <br /> violence, unsafe discipline, supervision, or care of children. Social Services is working to increase <br /> education and awareness of these issues and to identify strategies to improve the safety of <br /> children in the community. <br /> Community members can make a difference in the life of a child by making connections. Lending <br /> a helping hand or listening ear to a parenting neighbor or friend can help alleviate stress and <br /> provide a positive impact on a child's life. Increasing social connection and providing concrete <br /> support are integral protective factors. <br /> Parents, grandparents, and family members can ensure children are safe in their care by properly <br /> securing the firearms and ensuring all medications or potentially harmful substances are <br /> inaccessible to children. <br />