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3 <br /> on government buildings to honor veterans. She also thanked all candidates and voters who <br /> participated in Tuesday's election. <br /> Commissioner Fowler attended the Board of Health meeting on October 22nd, where <br /> members heard about social isolation and loneliness in Orange County, with the highest rates <br /> among 18-24-year-olds and African Americans. At the Triangle West TPO meeting on October <br /> 28th, she heard opposition to the Roxboro Rail Trail from a property owner near the proposed <br /> trail. Action items included the 2055 Metropolitan Transportation Plan, functional classification <br /> request and Urban area boundary update, and a public hearing on the 2027 UPWB and a <br /> presentation of the strategic rail infrastructure study. She attended the Central Pines Regional <br /> Council meeting on October 31 st that focused on regionalism and creating a public policy agenda <br /> related to regionalism. She announced the Tax Assessment Work Group had its inaugural meeting <br /> on October 31 st, and the next meeting will be on November 14th at Solid Waste at 1:00 PM. She <br /> shared that the Orange CARE Coalition/Family Success Alliance meeting this morning included <br /> a presentation from Alexa Hartenstein from Orange Partnership for Young Children, which <br /> provides a toolkit that teaches parents of young children who are not yet in childcare how to <br /> provide five important principles that are beneficial for their education and future success. She <br /> also highlighted the upcoming Toys for Tots campaign through the Department of Social Services, <br /> as well as a comprehensive food pantry resource list compiled by Jonathon Smith with <br /> Cooperative Extension. The list is available through the NC Cooperative Extension website. <br /> Commissioner Carter said she joined Commissioner Portie-Ascott today in a meeting with <br /> Congresswoman Foushee and former Congresswoman Eva Clayton at the Seymour Center. She <br /> said she is looking forward to Saturday's emergency food distribution at McDougle Middle School, <br /> where she will help pack food. She praised those who volunteered at election polls and shared <br /> her positive impressions from visiting Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, particularly their career <br /> and technical education programs. She was impressed seeing high school students in auto shops, <br /> culinary kitchens, and studying CRISPR and DNA manipulation in biology class. She said she <br /> also joined Commissioner Fowler and Commissioner Portie-Ascott at the Tax Assessment Work <br /> Group meeting and visited Councilville with a resident to understand neighborhood challenges. <br /> She said she looks forward to participating in the Veterans Memorial event as the daughter of a <br /> veteran. <br /> Commissioner Portie-Ascott detailed her visit to Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, <br /> focusing on the pre-K and CTE programs. She noted all pre-K slots were filled with 90 children <br /> on the waitlist due to limited space rather than staffing issues. She shared that transportation <br /> remains challenging since pre-K students cannot ride buses with older siblings. She was <br /> impressed with the firefighter and auto mechanics programs that are offered during her tour at <br /> Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools. At Mo Green's regional forum, she appreciated the focus on <br /> preparing every student for life after graduation, not just four-year universities. The Shelton <br /> Leadership Forum's presentation on the dignity approach to leadership resonated with her work <br /> on property tax revaluations and conversations had with the Orange County Tax Justice Coalition. <br /> She said at the heart of those discussions are people's sense of fairness, and a desire to be <br /> treated with respect, and it reminded her how Important it is to approach those moments with <br /> empathy, to listen, to make space for people to be heard, and to recognize how our decisions can <br /> affect someone's sense of dignity. It was a good reminder for her that leadership isn't just about <br /> policy; it is about people and how we make them feel through the process. At today's Seymour <br /> Center event with Congresswoman Foushee, a senior tearfully shared about valuing fellowship <br /> at the center while depending on the meal program despite working daily, reinforcing that dignity <br /> is about having access to the basics that allow people to live with stability and self-respect. She <br />