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Attachment 1 <br /> 1 <br /> 1 DRAFT MINUTES <br /> 2 ORANGE COUNTY <br /> 3 BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> 4 BUSINESS MEETING <br /> 5 April 7,2026 <br /> 6 7:00 p.m. <br /> 7 <br /> 8 The Orange County Board of Commissioners met for a Business Meeting on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at <br /> 9 7:00 p.m. at the Whitted Human Services Building in Hillsborough, NC. <br /> 10 <br /> 11 COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Jean Hamilton, Vice-Chair Amy Fowler, and Commissioners <br /> 12 Jamezetta Bedford, Marilyn Carter, Sally Greene, Earl McKee, and Phyllis Portie-Ascott <br /> 13 COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: None. <br /> 14 COUNTY ATTORNEYS PRESENT: John Roberts <br /> 15 COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager Travis Myren, Deputy County Manager Caitlin Fenhagen, and <br /> 16 Clerk to the Board Laura Jensen (All other staff members will be identified appropriately below.) <br /> 17 <br /> 18 Chair Hamilton called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. All commissioners were present. <br /> 19 <br /> 20 1.Additions or Changes to the Agenda <br /> 21 None. <br /> 22 <br /> 23 Chair Hamilton read the public charge and reviewed the instructions for making public <br /> 24 comment. She noted that comments on printed agenda items would be taken when those specific <br /> 25 matters come before the board. <br /> 26 <br /> 27 2. Public Comments(Limited to One Hour) <br /> 28 a. Matters not on the Printed Agenda <br /> 29 None. <br /> 30 <br /> 31 b. Matters on the Printed Agenda <br /> 32 These matters will be considered when the Board addresses that item on the agenda below. <br /> 33 <br /> 34 3.Announcements, Petitions, and Comments by Board Members <br /> 35 Commissioner McKee petitioned the board to include a discussion at the work session on <br /> 36 Tuesday, April 1, 2026, regarding the possibility of adding a provision to the Longtime Homeowners <br /> 37 Assistance (LHA) Program. His proposal would hold harmless those residents 70 years or older who have <br /> 38 owned their homes for 20 years and have income levels at 30% or below of Area Median Income from <br /> 39 tax increases, as long as they own the house or until they pass away. He noted that this would benefit <br /> 40 between 90 and 110 people and said he would bring information back to a work session. <br /> 41 Commissioner Greene reported on the most recent GoTriangle meeting, sharing the encouraging <br /> 42 news that ridership on routes 400 and 405 from Chapel Hill to Durham had doubled since the service <br /> 43 moved to 15-minute frequency. She said it is a game changer when you can just walk up to the bus stop <br /> 44 and know that a bus is coming any minute. On behalf of the Visitors Bureau, she announced that the <br /> 45 Savannah Bananas would be coming to town over the weekend. She said it is a major coup for Chapel <br /> 46 Hill because many towns were competing for this opportunity. She highlighted the Visitors Bureau's <br /> 47 impressive return on investment for fiscal year 2024-25, with a $776,000 investment returning $9.9 <br /> 48 million, largely driven by major soccer matches including the Manchester and Celtic Football Clubs and <br />