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3 <br /> 1 understand numbers, conversations with people help understand lived experiences. She attended <br /> 2 meetings at Caldwell with Commissioners McKee and Carter, and met with the Neighbor to <br /> 3 Neighbor Rural Organizing Committee with Commissioner McKee to share county updates. She <br /> 4 petitioned the board to make biannual community town halls a regular practice starting January <br /> 5 2026, held in different parts of the county and livestreamed to keep communities informed and <br /> 6 connected. <br /> 7 Commissioner McKee said he supported the petition for a biannual community town hall <br /> 8 and noted the advantages for residents to have another way to share information with the county. <br /> 9 He said he attended the Justice United meeting the previous evening to hear more from residents. <br /> 10 He highlighted item 8-r, honoring Coach Willie Lawrence Vanhook. He petitioned management <br /> 11 to look at the possibility of additional staff or outside appraisal personnel to perform full appraisals <br /> 12 on each property under appeal and those already appealed, stating that if appraisals come in <br /> 13 lower than the reevaluation, that appeal value should be honored, and that certified appraisals <br /> 14 lower than county reevaluation should be honored. <br /> 15 <br /> 16 4. Proclamations/ Resolutions/ Special Presentations <br /> 17 a. Disability Employment Awareness Month Proclamation <br /> 18 The Board approved a proclamation declaring October 2025 as Disability Employment Awareness <br /> 19 Month in Orange County. <br /> 20 <br /> 21 BACKGROUND: October is recognized nationally as Disability Employment Awareness Month <br /> 22 and 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of this observance, which began in 1945 and has grown to <br /> 23 honor the contributions of individuals with all types of disabilities, including those with mental <br /> 24 health conditions and other non-apparent disabilities. Orange County affirms its commitment to <br /> 25 inclusion, opportunity, and respect for all people, and recognizes the ongoing importance of <br /> 26 expanding access to employment for individuals with disabilities and promoting inclusive practices <br /> 27 that ensure people with disabilities have equal access to good jobs and opportunities. <br /> 28 <br /> 29 Brenda Bartholomew, Human Resources Director, introduced the item. <br /> 30 <br /> 31 Commissioners read the following proclamation in turn: <br /> 32 <br /> 33 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> 34 PROCLAMATION <br /> 35 <br /> 36 DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AWARENESS MONTH <br /> 37 OCTOBER 2025 <br /> 38 WHEREAS, October is recognized nationally as Disability Employment Awareness Month; and <br /> 39 <br /> 40 WHEREAS, 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of this observance, which began in 1945 with a <br /> 41 focus on workers with physical disabilities and has since evolved to include the contributions of <br /> 42 individuals with all types of disabilities, including mental health conditions and other nonapparent <br /> 43 disabilities; and <br /> 44 <br /> 45 WHEREAS, the purpose of Disability Employment Awareness Month is to educate the public <br /> 46 about disability employment issues while celebrating the many and varied contributions of <br /> 47 America's workers with disabilities; and <br /> 48 <br />