During the Orange County Board of County Commissioners business meeting on Tuesday night, the BOCC appointed a new board member to fill the vacant seat left by Renée Price’s departure to the N.C. General Assembly.
Other decisions were made including the approval of a new contract for the creation of a strategic plan and revisions to the animal control ordinance.
What’s new?
- Phyllis Portie-Ascott was appointed to the vacant seat on the BOCC. Portie-Ascott, the Orange County Democratic Party’s nominee for the position, secured a unanimous vote during the meeting. Portie-Ascott will be sworn in on Feb. 16.
- She said she is thankful for the support she has received in her bid for the position after she had supported others in their runs in previous terms.
- “I am grateful for the opportunity to meet residents willing to share their priorities for Orange County,” Portie-Ascott said.
- Portie-Ascott will finish out Price's term, which ends in 2024.
- "I look forward to working collaboratively, with you, to create an Orange County that all of our residents can love because they can raise their families, live in their homes, find work in their community and, if needed, access services," she said.
- A unanimous motion passed the BOCC to proclaim 2023 as the Year of the Trail and to join the Great Trails State Coalition — a group that lobbies for additional state funding for hiking trails.
- “Trails and trail corridors provide important protection of our environment,” Dave Stancil, the director of the administrative and support services division of Orange County, said. “Fringe habitat that exists in these trail corridors provides places that many of our native species thrive in.”
- The county manager was approved to sign a contract with Berry, Dunn, McNeil & Parker, LLC to create the Countywide Strategic Plan.
- The scope of services that will be provided by the consulting firm includes a five-stage plan that maps out the strategic plan development and implementation through planning and stakeholder engagement steps.
- The BOCC approved an amendment to allocate $105,303 to fund the strategic planning consultant.
- The BOCC approved revisions to the Orange County Unified Animal Control Ordinance. The revisions amend definitions and penalties surrounding the display of wild, dangerous and exotic animals.
- The Board will reexamine the language of the revisions in a second reading on Feb. 21. Public comments will be allowed.
- The BOCC discussed amendments to the Code of Ordinances relating to emergency proclamations. The new language would allow for direct input from members of the BOCC, other than the chair or vice-chair, in proclaiming and extending emergencies.
- Board members Earl McKee and Jean Hamilton voted for the amendment and board members Jamezetta Bedford, Sally Greene, Amy Fowler and Anna Richards voted against the amendment.
What other decisions were made?
- The 5311 Rural Area Formula Grant and Combined Capital Program Grant for the 2024 fiscal year was unanimously approved. The grant will impact public transportation services, capital resources and staff resources.
- The meeting’s consent agenda was unanimously approved. The consent agenda details can be found online.
What’s next?
- The next BOCC business meeting will be held on Feb. 21.
