Agenda 05-05-2026; 8-a - Minutes for April 7, 2026 and April 14, 2026

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2 1 the Mexico and Turkey teams. She noted that this year's investment of $130,000 in the Savannah 2 Bananas is expected to return about$7 million. 3 Commissioner Carter acknowledged they were entering budget season and emphasized that the 4 budget is a statement of the values of the Board and how it balances needs in an environment where 5 costs are being pushed down to counties from the federal and state governments. She noted that April is 6 County Government Month and looked forward to hearing about the county's applications for NACO's 7 achievement awards. She highlighted the Telecom municators Week Proclamation on the consent agenda 8 and praised the outstanding 911 call center in Emergency Services, sharing that last year the center 9 received 88,000 calls with over 96% answered within 10 seconds. She mentioned attending a "100 10 Counties Prepared" training session on Thursday for disaster scenarios. She congratulated Jonah Garson, 11 an Orange County Planning Board member, who was designated as a Senate candidate for NC District 23. 12 Vice-Chair Fowler highlighted the many proclamations on the consent agenda that couldn't be 13 read individually, including Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, Earth Day, Native Plant Month, and 14 Volunteer Week. She specifically mentioned adding the Youth HIV/AIDS Awareness Day proclamation 15 thanks to a constituent's request. She read a portion of the proclamation, which said the Board is 16 designating April 10th as Youth HIV/AIDS Awareness Day in Orange County, recognizing young people's 17 right to education, prevention, treatment, and care, and to live without criminalization, discrimination, 18 oppression, and stigma." She also mentioned the recent Triangle West Transportation Planning 19 Organization's (TPO) meeting and encouraged anyone interested in learning more to visit the Triangle 20 West TPO website. 21 Commissioner Portie-Ascott reported attending the General Services steering committee 22 meeting where they heard from the Division of Water Infrastructure with the Department of 23 Environmental Quality about new state water and sewer programs, including a pilot helping 24 homeowners replace failing septic systems through forgivable loans. She found this particularly notable 25 given community members' experiences with failing systems costing upwards of $60,000. She also 26 attended a healthcare forum titled "Can I Afford My Healthcare" where the Health Director and Director 27 of Social Services provided clear and practical insights on the challenges that residents are facing around 28 their healthcare. She highlighted the nomination period for the 2026 Civic Excellence and Innovation 29 Awards with NCACC, encouraging Orange County departments to apply by the April 20, 2026 deadline. 30 Commissioner Bedford reminded everyone to wear blue on Friday for Child Abuse Prevention 31 Week, noting it was moved from the first Friday due to Good Friday. As the Board's representative to the 32 Partnership to End Homelessness, she announced that there would be a reorganization meeting on April 33 16, 2026, at the Drakeford Library Complex. The goal of the meeting will be to comply with Housing and 34 Urban Development (HUD) requirements for the Continuum of Care (CoC). She said the board 35 composition will change, and a public kickoff meeting is scheduled. 36 Chair Hamilton concluded by highlighting an information item recognizing county employees 37 who retired between January 1, 2026, and March 31,2026. She expressed gratitude to all the retirees for 38 their service to Orange County and its residents. She read the names and departments of the retirees. 39 40 4. Proclamations/Resolutions/Special Presentations 41 a. County Government Month Proclamation 42 The Board approved a proclamation designating April 2026 as County Government Month in Orange 43 County. 44 45 BACKGROUND: The National Association of Counties (NACo) celebrates National County Government 46 Month each April to educate the public about county government. A proclamation to acknowledge April 47 2026 as County Government Month is attached.