Agenda 01-20-2026; 8-a - Minutes for November 14, 2025, November 18, 2025, November 21, 2025, December 1, 2025, and December 9, 2025 Meetings

Browse Search

2 1 Commissioner Portie-Ascott volunteered to serve as the voting delegate for NCACC. The 2 Commissioners agreed by consensus. 3 4 Commissioner Portie-Ascott was nominated by Commissioner Bedford to serve as the 5 alternate voting delegate for NACo. The Commissioners agreed by consensus. 6 Commissioner McKee volunteered to serve as the alternate voting delegate for NCACC. 7 The Commissioners agreed by consensus. 8 9 1. Additions or Changes to the Agenda 10 Chair Hamilton read the public charge. 11 12 2. Public Comments (Limited to One Hour) 13 a. Matters not on the Printed Agenda 14 Adam Beeman said he is running for the at-large seat on Board of County Commissioners. 15 He said the county needed to expand access to wastewater treatment. He said that historically, 16 the county has pushed people towards private wells and septic systems. He said he is hearing 17 more about community septic in areas without central sewer. He said that is going in the wrong 18 direction. He said wastewater isn't just pipes and pumps, but is a public health long-term cost. 19 He said central systems, such as OWASA, Hillsborough, and Mebane are investing in additional 20 capacity. He said communities around the county are making room for more users. He said 21 businesses look for sewer availability and clear boundaries before investing. He said when 22 businesses see boundaries tightening, like in Hillsborough, they look elsewhere and take their 23 property taxes and jobs, which does nothing to help the Orange County homeowner with an ever- 24 growing tax bill. He said when we haven't planned our wastewater system well, we are choosing 25 to fund everything off the backs of homeowners. He said leaning on private and community septic 26 and wells looks flexible and cheap on paper. He said community systems are complex to operate, 27 easy to undermaintain, and when they fail, they fail with big backups, contamination, emergency 28 contracts, and pressure on the Board to run central sewer. He gave an example of the Piney 29 Mountain situation in 1987. He asked the Board to make central wastewater the backbone of the 30 county's growth strategy. He asked the Board to align land use, service boundaries, and capital 31 spending so growth supports affordability, public health, and a stronger commercial tax base. 32 33 b. Matters on the Printed Agenda 34 (These matters will be considered when the Board addresses that item on the agenda below.) 35 36 3. Announcements, Petitions and Comments by Board Members 37 Commissioner Greene said there are upcoming events this weekend to recognize 38 Abolition Day. She said there is an event on December 5 at UNC's Kenan Theater with Mike 39 Wiley. She said the event is free, but registration is required on the Chapel Hill Public Library 40 website. She said on December 6, there is an event at the Century Center in Carrboro featuring 41 Justice Anita Earls and Martha S. Jones, a historian from Johns Hopkins University. She said 42 there will also be two panel discussions with eight local legal historians. She said also on 43 December 6 at 6:00 p.m. at Flyleaf Books Professor Jones will talk about her memoir The Trouble 44 with Color and Commissioner Greene will participate in the conversation. She said on December 45 10, a documentary called "Thirteenth," which is about the prison industrial complex and how it 46 furthers the same strategies of incarceration against black people that has been used since before 47 the 13'" amendment. She said it is at the Seymour Center at 5:00 p.m. 48 Commissioner Portie-Ascott petitioned for the Board of Health memorandum included in 49 the Information Items to be presented to the Board at their first business meeting in January. She 50 said she enjoyed the Cedar Grove community Thanksgiving luncheon. She said there is fear in 51 the community, and she hears it from people who are concerned about high taxes, immigrant