Minutes 08-26-2025-Business Meeting

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2 emphasized wanting to see students like scholarship recipient Tiana Oxendine get quality education and have bright futures. b. Matters on the Printed Agenda These matters will be considered when the Board addresses that item on the agenda below. 3. Announcements, Petitions, and Comments by Board Members Commissioner Portie-Ascott reported on the NCACC annual conference themed "Cultivate: Inspire County Growth." She celebrated that Health Director Quintana Stewart was honored through the Heroic Hands Initiative for going above and beyond the call of duty, and Orange County Cooperative Extension was recognized as runner-up for the Northern Central District Extension County Partnership award. She said she had lunch with Navya Sharma, a 4-H student from East Chapel Hill High School, who participated in Youth Voices and shared her passion for addressing food insecurity and disaster preparation. Commissioner Portie-Ascott highlighted two impactful sessions on emergency preparation and affordable housing strategies. She said the key takeaways included securing redundant communications, planning for volunteer and donation management, ensuring generators for public buildings are accessible, and recognizing that real recovery happens after week two. She noted the Community Giving Fund was cited as innovative, though Orange County wasn't named specifically. She said the conference strongly suggested that each county develop strategies for affordable housing, specifically for those with middle income. Commissioner Hamilton welcomed everyone back to school and highlighted several activities. She said she made comments at the Opioid Settlement Funding Annual Meeting, and was impressed with Health Director Quintana Stewart and staff showing that initiatives were benefiting the community with lower opioid deaths. She shared that she attended the opening of the FitLot outdoor exercise facility at the Seymour Center and attended multiple community events including the walk at Fairview and Unity in the Community at Rogers Road Community Center, where she heard many concerns about the tax reevaluation. She emphasized her commitment to ensuring a fair process. Chair Bedford noted committees have continued meeting through summer break and reported that Durham Tech Community College received needed funding for increased enrollment. She attended the grand opening of Thermo Fisher Scientific, which will manufacture pipettes with federal funding. She said the public art tour, UPROAR, closed out Saturday. She said that she and Commissioner McKee spent three days in court as defendants in a jury trial regarding impact fees, where the jury unanimously found in the county's favor, though litigation will continue. Commissioner Fowler reported on her two-week vacation to Iceland. She said she was impressed with the country's emphasis on avoiding plastics and disposable products to preserve the climate, noting visible evidence of rapidly receding glaciers. She said she attended the Triangle West TPO meeting, where they authorized staff to release the preferred option for the 2055 Metropolitan Transportation Plan for 45-day public comment and the ADA Transition Plan for 30-day comment. She attended the FitLot ribbon-cutting and tried the equipment. Due to travel, she missed the Opioid Settlement Annual Meeting, but said she looks forward to attending the Board of Health meeting the following day. She emphasized priorities of ensuring equitable tax valuations, supporting Tropical Storm Chantal-impacted residents, and ensuring a comprehensive land use plan. Commissioner Greene also attended the Opioid Meeting and the Thermo Fisher event.As Grow Triangle representative, she attended the Triangle West meeting. At the Visitors Bureau meeting, she learned all UNC home games are sold out, but the University encourages people to attend anyway for Chapel Thrill concerts, the Modelo Kickoff Club, and food trucks at every home game. At the meeting, she said Lynn Mines from the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging