Minutes - 03-14-2000 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Approved April 17, 2000 MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS REGULAR MEETING MARCH 14, 2000 The Orange County Board of Commissioners met in regular session on Tuesday, March 14, 2x00 at 7 30 p. m. in the Southern Human Services Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Moses Carey, Jr. and Commissioners Margaret W. Brawn, Alice M. Gordon, Stephen H. Halkiotis and Barry Jacobs COUNTY ATTORNEY PRESENT: Geoffrey Gledhill COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager John M. Link, Jr. and Clerk to the Board Beverly A. Blythe (all other staff members will be identified appropriately below} NOTE: ALL DOCUMENTS REFERRED TO IN THESE MINUTES ARE IN THE PERMANENT AGENDA FILE IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE. ALL RECORDINGS OF THE MEETING WILL BE KEPT FOR 5 YEARS. 1. ADDITIONS OR CHANGES TO THE AGENDA -NONE 2. CITIZEN & AUDIENCE COMMENTS a. Matters on the Printed Agenda (These matters were considered as the Board addressed the items on the agenda below.) b. Matters not on the Printed Agenda Mr. Roger Barr spoke about the telephone service in Orange County. He said that in Orange County there is every possible different jurisdiction and the bill for local services is hard to understand. He said that this seems out of place in a county as technologically advanced as Orange County. He requested that the County Commissioners put emphasis on this issue, saying that he would be greatly appreciative. Commissioner Brown asked that staff write a letter to the Utilities Commission to see if there have been similar complaints about this and if the phone bills could be made more understandable. PUBLIC CHARGE Chair Carey read the public charge. 3. BOARD COMMENTS Commissioner Halkiotis said that this Thursday evening the Hillsborough Planning Board and Town Commissioners are having a joint meeting with Mr. Vogle and his development team about a proposed project along I-40/Old NC 86. He reminded the Board that he and Commissioner Jacobs attended a couple of sessions with representatives from the Hillsborough Tawn Board, Planning Director, and Manager along with Orange County Planning Director Craig Benedict and Economic Development Director Dianne Reid. He felt some significant progress was made. He invited any of the other Commissioners to attend this meeting in his place. He said that he and Commissioner Jacobs tried to get this meeting postponed until the small work group completed its work, but it had already been scheduled. Commissioner Halkiotis said that after he left the State of the Economy Breakfast this morning he talked with some citizens. He suggested that the Board ask the Manager to look into whether or not sales taxes are being collected at the Buckhorn Flea Market. Commissioner Halkiotis thanked the Health Department on the update on the Rubella situation in Orange County as well as the quick work on the hepatitis situation at a local restaurant. He noted that the first reported case of rabies in the year 2000 came from his house. The dog brought a dead raccoon to the back door and his stepdaughter touched the dog. The raccoon tested positive for rabies and the child has received the five shots. He feels that rabies is still extremely active and suspect animals should be reported to Animal Control. Commissioner Halkiotis asked that the Board consider empowering the Manager and staff to begin a very open and public search for land for a firing range for law enforcement, which has the support of every law enforcement agency in this County. Commissioner Jacobs asked Commissioner Halkiotis if there should be some criteria for this search for land and he said yes. The Manager will came back with a recommendation on the criteria for a land search.