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Joint Meeting with the Orange County Chiefs' Association and Work Session

Orange County · Board of County Commissioners
Tuesday, October 8, 2024

Work session Appointments and personnelBonds and debtBudget and appropriationsEnvironment and sustainabilityFarmland and open spaceFire and EMSHealth and human servicesHistoric preservationLitigation and settlementsPolice and public safetySchools and education

Agenda document Minutes Watch Meeting recap

What's on this agenda

Orange County commissioners met with the county's fire and rescue chiefs, then held a work session on a draft policy for spending bond and other capital money on school construction ahead of the November 5 bond referendum. The board also took up nine appointments to advisory boards, from the Planning Board to the Historic Preservation Commission.

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

Commissioners added a closed session to the agenda to discuss the county's opioid lawsuit against Kroger, then met with volunteer and career fire chiefs from across the county. The chiefs described rising call volume, trucks now costing $800,000 to $1 million each with 24- to 36-month waits, and a proposed federal safety standard that Emergency Services Director Kirby Saunders said could cost county departments $8 million to $10 million to meet.

In the work session that followed, the board reviewed a draft policy for directing bond, pay-go and lottery money to Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools and Orange County Schools. Commissioners debated how strictly to lock in a 60/40 funding split between the districts and whether to name a set number of major projects in the policy, without resolving either question. The board then made or confirmed appointments to seven boards by consensus and left one Board of Equalization and Review seat open for lack of applicants, before closing the meeting in closed session on the Kroger litigation and adjourning at 9:32 p.m.

How the votes went

Every recorded vote at this meeting was unanimous: adding a closed session to the agenda, entering that session to discuss the county's opioid litigation against Kroger, reconvening from it, and adjourning. The nine board appointments were made by consensus rather than a roll-call vote.

From the published minutes.

Speaking at this meeting

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

Jump to an item (13 on this agenda)
  1. Motion to Add a Closed Session
  2. 1Discussion Topics from Orange County Chiefs Association
  3. 2School Capital Funding Policy Discussion
  4. 3Orange County Planning Board – Appointment Discussion
  5. 4Advisory Board on Aging – Appointment Discussion
  6. 5Agricultural Preservation Board – Appointment Discussion
  7. 6Animal Services Advisory Board – Appointment Discussion
  8. 7Board of Equalization and Review – Appointment Discussion
  9. 8Chapel Hill Orange County Visitors Bureau Advisory Board – Appointmen…
  10. 9Commission for the Environment – Appointments Discussion
  11. 10Historic Preservation Commission – Appointment Discussion
  12. Closed Session
  13. Adjournment

Agenda items (13)

Appointment · 8Procedural · 2Discussion item · 2Closed session · 1
  1. Motion to Add a Closed Session
    Procedural
    Chair Bedford asked for a motion to add a closed session at the end of the meeting to consult with the county attorney.
    Approved unanimously.
  2. 1 Discussion Topics from Orange County Chiefs Association
    Discussion item Fire and EMSPolice and public safety
    Leaders of the Orange County Chiefs' Association told the board that call volume is rising across every department, that new fire trucks now cost $800,000 to $1 million with 24- to 36-month waits, and that a draft federal safety rule could cost county departments $8 million to $10 million to meet. Emergency Services Director Kirby Saunders also updated the board on the county's support for the disaster response in western North Carolina, including the need for money and blood donations for nonprofits providing aid.
  3. 2 School Capital Funding Policy Discussion
    Discussion item Bonds and debtBudget and appropriationsSchools and education
    The board reviewed a draft policy for directing bond, pay-go and lottery money toward school construction in Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools and Orange County Schools ahead of the November 5 bond referendum. Commissioners debated whether to commit to a fixed 60/40 split between the districts and whether the policy should name a set number of major projects, without resolving either question.
  4. 3 Orange County Planning Board – Appointment Discussion
    Appointment Appointments and personnel
    The board appointed Meg Millard to the Little River Township seat on the Planning Board, a first full term through March 2027.
    Appointed by consensus.
  5. 4 Advisory Board on Aging – Appointment Discussion
    Appointment Appointments and personnelHealth and human services
    The board appointed Daniel Leonard to an at-large seat on the Advisory Board on Aging through June 2027; staff said a second vacancy will come back to the board in November.
    Appointed by consensus.
  6. 5 Agricultural Preservation Board – Appointment Discussion
    Appointment Appointments and personnelFarmland and open space
    The board appointed Sandra Weitzel to an at-large seat on the Agricultural Preservation Board through June 2027.
    Appointed by consensus.
  7. 6 Animal Services Advisory Board – Appointment Discussion
    Appointment Appointments and personnel
    The board appointed Roni Peterson to an at-large partial term through June 2025 and Michael Dempsey to a full term representing animal welfare and advocacy through June 2027, leaving the Town of Hillsborough seat vacant.
    Appointed by consensus.
  8. 7 Board of Equalization and Review – Appointment Discussion
    Appointment Appointments and personnel
    With only one applicant for an open alternate seat on the quasi-judicial board that hears property tax appeals, commissioners agreed to seek more applicants rather than fill the seat.
    No appointment made; board will seek more applicants.
  9. 8 Chapel Hill Orange County Visitors Bureau Advisory Board – Appointments Discussion
    Appointment Appointments and personnel
    The board appointed or reappointed five people to the Visitors Bureau Advisory Board, covering seats for Chapel Hill economic development staff, county lodging, an at-large member and the Chapel Hill Town Council, leaving one economic development seat vacant.
    Appointed by consensus.
  10. 9 Commission for the Environment – Appointments Discussion
    Appointment Appointments and personnelEnvironment and sustainability
    The board appointed Wendy Calvin and Thomas Engelhardt to partial at-large terms on the Commission for the Environment through December 2025, leaving one at-large seat vacant.
    Appointed by consensus.
  11. 10 Historic Preservation Commission – Appointment Discussion
    Appointment Appointments and personnelHistoric preservation
    The board appointed Carol Ann Lewald to an at-large partial term on the Historic Preservation Commission through March 2026.
    Appointed by consensus.
  12. Closed Session
    Closed session Litigation and settlements
    The board entered closed session to consult with the county attorney about Orange County's opioid litigation against Kroger, then reconvened seven minutes later.
    Entered and exited closed session unanimously.
  13. Adjournment
    Procedural
    The board adjourned the meeting at 9:32 p.m.
    Approved unanimously.

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