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Work Session

Orange County · Board of County Commissioners
Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Work session Appointments and personnelArts and public artBonds and debtBudget and appropriationsComprehensive planHealth and human servicesHistoric preservationHousing and affordabilityIntergovernmental agreementsParks and recreationState legislative agendaTax rate and revaluation

Agenda document Minutes Watch Meeting recap

What's on this agenda

Orange County commissioners heard nine advisory boards present their annual work plans on 11 March 2025, took the consultant's presentation on the draft 2050 land use plan, worked through appointments to six boards, and added a letter to their congressional delegation about federal budget reconciliation.

Summarized from the published agenda. Read the agenda itself before acting on it.

Meeting recap

What happened, drawn from the records published after the meeting. Minutes

The letter sets out what four proposed federal changes would do in this county, using the county's own numbers. On Medicaid: more than 4,600 residents enrolled under expansion since 1 December 2023, over 21,000 in traditional Medicaid in 2024, and about 3,900 of those, or 19 percent, are older adults or adults with disabilities. State law terminates expanded benefits outright if the federal match falls below 90 percent. On food and family assistance: the nutrition programme served 10,016 people in 5,368 households in December 2024, paying just under $22 million in benefits with $2.2 million of federal administration; $1 million of federal money supports child welfare and employment services staff; child protective services assessed more than 570 households for abuse or neglect and placed 80 children in county custody, with $6.8 million going to child care subsidy. The letter also opposes eliminating or reforming FEMA and removing the federal tax exemption on municipal bond interest. The county association and the national association of counties had flagged all four at their Washington conference the week before.

The consultants presented the public review draft of the 2050 land use plan, with the board's feedback to shape edits before a third community engagement window then planned for May to July. That window was later postponed.

The nine boards reporting were the ABC board, economic development, the visitors bureau, the arts commission, the advisory board on aging, the adult care home and nursing home advisory committee, the board of health, the board of adjustment and the planning board.

How the votes went

Two unanimous votes: adding the federal budget letter to the agenda, and adjournment. The appointment items produced recommendations rather than contested votes.

From the published minutes.

Speaking at this meeting

Orange County's own rules for public comment — check them before you rely on anything here.

Agenda items (9)

Appointment · 6Staff or committee report · 1Presentation · 1Discussion item · 1
  1. 1 Boards and Commissions - Annual Work Plan Summaries
    Staff or committee report Appointments and personnelArts and public art
    Nine boards reported: the ABC board, economic development advisory board, visitors bureau, arts commission, advisory board on aging, adult care home and nursing home advisory committee, board of health, board of adjustment and planning board.
  2. 2 Consultant Presentation on Draft Orange County Land Use Plan 2050
    Presentation Comprehensive plan
    Clarion Associates presented the public review draft. Board feedback was to shape edits ahead of a third community engagement window then planned for May to July.
  3. 3 Animal Services Hearing Panel Pool - Appointments Discussion
    Appointment Appointments and personnel
  4. 4 Board of Equalization and Review - Appointments Discussion
    Appointment Appointments and personnelTax rate and revaluation
  5. 5 Historic Preservation Commission - Appointments Discussion
    Appointment Appointments and personnelHistoric preservation
  6. 6 Orange County Housing Authority Board - Appointment Discussion
    Appointment Appointments and personnelHousing and affordability
  7. 7 Orange County Planning Board - Appointments Discussion
    Appointment Appointments and personnel
  8. 8 Parks and Recreation Council - Appointments Discussion
    Appointment Appointments and personnelParks and recreation
  9. 9 Letter to the Congressional Delegation on Federal Budget Impacts
    Discussion item Bonds and debtBudget and appropriationsHealth and human servicesIntergovernmental agreementsState legislative agenda
    A letter opposing Medicaid cuts, cuts to nutrition assistance, family assistance and child protective services, elimination or reform of FEMA, and removal of the federal tax exemption on municipal bond interest, with the county's own enrolment and caseload figures for each.

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