Agenda 04-07-2026; 8-a - Minutes for March 5, 2026, March 10, 2026, and March 17, 2026

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28 1 evolve and change over the session and require additional attention by the Group and Board of 2 Commissioners. New issues may also arise necessitating additional review. 3 4 Greg Wilder, Assistant to the County Manager for Legislative Affairs, reviewed the 5 background information for the item. 6 Commissioner Portie-Ascott explained that the new format of the document provides 7 talking points and local impact information to help commissioners defend goals at NACO steering 8 committee meetings and assist the legislative delegation in understanding Orange County's 9 specific impacts. 10 Commissioner Carter noted that the document underwent multiple iterations to achieve 11 alignment, highlighting the top five priorities: agricultural and farmland preservation, housing 12 preservation, behavioral health capacity, health services and local detention facilities, and tax and 13 finance protecting county fiscal stability. The broader list addresses environmental protection, 14 clean water, watershed protection, storm resilience, disaster recovery, rural water and sewer 15 infrastructure, workforce housing, transportation access, and education workforce development. 16 Chair Hamilton thanked the work group and staff for their work on the alignment. 17 Commissioner Greene questioned including the longer list, preferring to focus on five 18 priorities as the Board had previously decided. 19 Commissioner Portie-Ascott explained that the additional items acknowledge strategic 20 priorities and prevent important issues from being lost. 21 Vice-Chair Fowler advocated for six priorities by adding public education, noting that half 22 the county's budget goes to schools and adequate state funding would reduce pressure on the 23 county. She wanted to include pre-K investment advocacy and opposition to school vouchers for 24 families already attending private schools. She also emphasized the need for specific Medicaid 25 codes for behavioral health urgent care centers to be included under the behavioral health priority. 26 Commissioner McKee supported keeping five focused goals while noting that 27 commissioners could individually contact legislators about other issues. He shared an example 28 of contacting legislators about controlling rogue agritourism operations affecting legitimate 29 farmers. 30 Chair Hamilton reminded the Board that this is the document used to talk to delegation at 31 the Legislative Breakfast. She said they don't have to just stick to 5 and can make sure the 32 document works for the Board. 33 Commissioner Bedford supported the new format and suggested adding bullet points 34 under public education for pre-K emphasis and voucher reduction, plus adding back the IDD 35 waiver wait list clearing under health and human services, noting over 17,000 people wait for 36 services with only 1,000 new vouchers added in recent years. 37 Vice-Chair Fowler raised questions about water and sewer infrastructure expansion 38 conflicting with current WASMPBA agreements restricting such expansion. She also advocated 39 for non-partisan redistricting inclusion. 40 Commissioners discussed the water/sewer language, with Commissioner Carter clarifying 41 the intent was seeking funding for infrastructure work rather than legislation to change restrictions. 42 Commissioner Greene suggested changing "legislation" to "funding" and adding invasive 43 species research funding. 44 After Board discussion, Chair Hamilton called for individual positions on the addition of 45 support for non-partisan redistricting. With five commissioners supporting, non-partisan 46 redistricting was added to the list. 47 The Board reached consensus on the following amendments: 48 49 • Top priorities increased from five to six by adding public education 50 . Added pre-K investment and school voucher opposition under education 51 • Added IDD innovation waiver wait list clearing under health services