Minutes 02-17-2026 - Business Meeting

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2 historic presidential run, advocacy for civil rights, social justice, and affordable healthcare, and his leadership of the Rainbow Coalition with the rallying cry "Keep Hope alive." She also provided an update on the Tax Assessment Work Group's progress, noting their work on understanding reappraisals,focusing on vertical equity and commercial property valuation, reviewing the appeals process, and seeking clearer communication strategies. She encouraged residents to visit Orange County's website and sign up for newsletters to keep track of this work. Commissioner Bedford passed on making comments. Commissioner McKee reported on attending the Justice United forum with other commissioners, where he declined to endorse three of their eight requests, explaining that meeting all requests would require a 7-cent tax increase. He appreciated participants' understanding of the county's fiscal constraints. He petitioned the Board to formally commit to minimal tax increases in the upcoming budget discussions. Vice-Chair Fowler reported on several events she attended since the last meeting. She said she attended the Ag Summit the day prior and enjoyed visiting the vendor tables there. She attended the most recent School Collaboration meeting and discussed school budgets, student population decline, and mental health. She attended the Annual Legislative Breakfast on mental health on February 71", and on February 5t" she attended the Durham Technical Community College campus expansion celebration. She thanked Commissioner Carter for mentioning the passing of Rev. Jesse Jackson, and shared that she had the opportunity to hear him speak at an American Public Health Association meeting when she was in her residency and getting her master's in public health. She said he was a force and wished him peace. Commissioner Greene underscored the sympathies expressed on the loss of Rev. Jesse Jackson as well as the holiday recognitions. She said she also attended the Ag Summit, which was focused on sustainability and strategies for success for farmers. She attended the Justice United forum and expressed her appreciation for the work of that group and for holding the board accountable on tax issues. On February 7t" she attended the Extension and Community Association Annual Achievement Day, which highlighted women who are doing thousands of hours of amazing volunteer work. Finally, on February 5t", she attended Habitat's first ever summit on affordable housing policy. She said she would share a fuller report from that event with the Board later. Commissioner Portie-Ascott started by sharing that she had the opportunity to read "Mae Among the Stars" to students at Carrboro Elementary as part of the African American Read-In. She highlighted how powerful it is for children to see themselves reflected in the stories of possibility. She attended the NCACC meeting in Forsyth County, where leaders discussed economic pressures on counties, particularly around affordability, revenue stability, and long-term growth. She said that counties support property tax reform but need flexibility, transparency, and replacement funding. She also participated in the Rural Transportation Advisory Committee meeting with Central Pines. She said they heard regional planning updates, including the rollout of a new commuter dashboard that helps members better understand travel patterns and pressure points across the region. She said they also discussed projected timelines and the importance of reducing uncertainty to avoid major cost increases later in projects. She shared that Orange County projects are on track right now. Chair Hamilton highlighted her opening remarks at the Ag Summit, emphasizing how farming demands adaptability, creativity, and strong partnerships. She thanked the Carol Woods Charitable Fund for its $175,000 gift supporting the Master Aging Plan and Department of Aging. She said partnerships are essential, given the limited county resources.