Approved Minutes of March 26, 2025

Browse Search

MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH March 26, 2025 jurisdiction there. Commissioner Fowler said that she knows private wells are allowed but that she was unsure if community wells are permissible in these rural buffer zones as she hasn't read the agreements in detail, to which Ms. Hudson said it depends on the size of the lots, but that wells and septic systems can also be put in green spaces. IV. Priority Committee Updates Access to Care Committee Dr. Pickett provided the update for the Access to Care Committee. The top priority populations for the Photovoice project have been selected from a list of 10-12 identified populations. The top four are: individuals living in low income and public housing; individuals eligible for Medicaid and expanded Medicaid; individuals who are immigrants and those with low English proficiency (LEP); and individuals living unsheltered. Dr. Pickett reminded board members that the committee is currently piloting the Photovoice project with a group of graduate students from UNC Gillings who are examining access to care with a group of individuals who have experienced incarceration. She added that Jean Phillips-Weiner, Board of Health Strategic Plan Manager, is in the process of interviewing potential practicum students to assist with the project over the summer. Dr. Pickett concluded her update by sharing that the committee is working on a resolution about barriers to care access in light of immigration enforcement and warrant service, which they hope to have ready to present to the board at the April meeting. The committee will next meet in mid-May. Mr. Bagby asked whether residents of rural Orange County would be represented in the Photovoice project, to which Dr. Pickett clarified that they are still on the list, but the initial prioritization was largely based on perceived vulnerability. Dr. Royce chimed in to say that practically, the group wanted to begin with some of the more accessible populations while learning about the methodology and then build on that. Dr. Rodgers assured Mr. Bagby that the rural populations would not be forgotten, as they are also a priority for her. Connections to Community Support Committee Mr. Whitaker provided the update for the Connections to Community Support Committee. The committee continues to focus on affordable housing as a public health issue and spent most of their most recent meeting distilling information and coming up with action items. One such action item includes making concerns around housing as a public health issue publicly known, particularly to the BOCC and those involved in updating the land use development plan (which guides and informs policy and zoning). Mr. Whitaker shared that he met with Cy Stober, Orange County Planning Director, to hear his thoughts on affordable/attainable housing. He shared that Mr. Stober had recommended that the Board of Health submit a resolution related to the land use plan and its health impact to the BOCC between May and September, though he's since received notice that presentation of the land use plan may be delayed. The committee will next meet in early May. Commissioner Fowler encouraged the committee to still aim for the May-September window, as the BOCC is already thinking about the land use plan, even if there may be delays in its presentation. Mr. Whitaker stated that he and Dr. Stuebe also attended a recent BOCC meeting where the current draft of the land use plan was presented and that they were comforted by the realization that the BOCC are already carefully considering the importance and the challenges of providing affordable housing. Dr. Stuebe said that the committee would aim to present a draft S:\Managers Working Files\BOH\Agendas &Abstracts\2025 Agenda and Abstracts/ March Page 3