Minutes 05-20-2025-Business Meeting

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2 last year was the hottest year on record, and the county is working on a multijurisdictional plan to mitigate, adapt, and respond to extreme heat. She said there will be cooling centers open during the summer, and there is a heat task force being formed to help create the Heat Action Plan. She asked anyone interested in serving on the task force to contact the Clerk's Office. Additionally, she shared that Brian Smith is the new GoTriangle President and CEO. She shared some information about his background and qualifications. Vice-Chair Hamilton acknowledged that we are all living in uncertain times. She said she attended a meeting today of the Advisory Council on Aging, and there were discussions about cuts to programs that impact seniors, cutting ombudsman funding, cutting Senior Health Insurance Information program, and possible cuts to Adult Protective Services. She said these important programs that protect some of the most vulnerable residents may be impacted. She said this weekend she attended celebrations of people who have advocated for civil rights and social justice in the community, which is important to recognize during this time. She said the students who shared their work about Pauli Murray were inspiring. She said the words of those students are on the county website. She shared the title of one of the award winners, "United We Stand: How Equality, Mutuality, and Reciprocity Create True Community". She encouraged everyone to think about what true community is and to feel heartened that young people are paying attention and care. Chair Bedford said she had a meeting with Justice United today and others about the appraisal tools and the fairness of the updated revaluation data. She petitioned the Board to create a subcommittee to work on the County Manager's Evaluation, which would include the Manager, HR Director, Commissioners Hamilton, Portie-Ascott, and Fowler. She also petitioned the creation of a Board Self-Evaluation subcommittee to have Commissioners Carter, McKee, and herself. Commissioner Fowler said, related to the bill Commissioner Carter mentioned, it also looks like home and community supports will take a hit which will impact people with disabilities in the community. She said she attended the Healthy Carolinians meeting on the 14t". She said they discussed behavioral health, access to care, and community resources, particularly language access. She said she also attended the Master Aging Plan (MAP) meeting on the 16t"where they discussed what has been accomplished for Year 3 highlights and started planning for Year 4 activities as well as the next MAP. She said she participated in the Housing subcommittee which touched on Housing repairs and other topics. On the 17t", she said she attended the NAACP 1st Annual Freedom Brunch with Vice-Chair Hamilton and Commissioner Carter. She said Al McShirley, Bill Maurice, Ellie Kannard, and Lydia Lavelle were honored for their work on civil rights issues. She said the event featured speaker Gene Nichol who was very impactful. She said she also attended the Pauli Murray awards on the 18t", which honored Vicki Feaster-Fornville, Diana Fornville, and EmPOWERment. She echoed Vice-Chair Hamilton's comments about the inspiring work created by students. She reiterated that May is Mental Health Month and encouraged everyone to find moments for self-care. Commissioner Portie-Ascott congratulated Jason Johnson, Principal of Orange High School, who was just named North Carolina's 2025 Wells Fargo Principal of the Year. She said under his leadership, Orange High has exceeded growth expectations and improved outcomes across all racial groups. She said she is honored to be selected for the 5t" cohort for the Hunt Institute's State Policy Fellows Program, which educates local elected leaders on education policy and the challenges facing schools across North Carolina. She said the first of three sessions occurred this past Sunday and Monday and focused on Early Childhood Education and the importance of programs like Head Start. She said it was mentioned that NC loses $5.6 billion in economic activity due to a lack of access to childcare. She said this number was echoed in the Research Triangle Regional Partnership State of the Region address that she and Vice-Chair Hamilton attended. She said even when childcare is available, a lot of families cannot access it because of the cost. She said a principal in Guilford County stated that even though there are